FR2490186A1 - Collapsible pallet-box cum display cabinet - has base with fold-down side walls of U=shape in plan using front and back panels with lid - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet-box is used to package goods for storage or transit, is demountable and can be used as a display cabinet. It comprises a relatively rigid flat base (1) with a side wall (3) fixed to each of two opposite edges. The side walls fold flat onto the base, have both of their vertical edges returned laterally (3b), and house onto two vertical panels (4) which act as spacers and form the front and back walls. One only panel is required to maintain the stability of the assembly, leaving the opposite face open to meet the display function whilst permitting loading and unloading. A lid (5) with downstand edges houses onto the heads of the assembled walls (3,4) to complete a dry construction.

Description

 The present invention relates to foldable packaging boxes made of cardboard or any other material with similar characteristics, the flexibility of which allows the elements constituting said boxes to be folded and unfolded, while being of sufficient rigidity to ensure their good hold. this during the volume setting operation and during periods of use.

 To combat storage difficulties both in the shipping area of the manufacturing company and in the area of the user's packaging station, foldable packaging is often used, generally consisting of a single element produced from a cardboard blank with the pre-marked cutouts and fold lines. The blanks are stored flat. The setting in volume of these packages implies a succession of numerous manipulations generally carried out by one or more people, the locking of the constituent elements of the package being obtained by snap-fastening, stapling and / or by gluing. I1 is also known of the achievements consisting in the association of a wooden pallet with strips and a cardboard container; This is made up of side walls stapled to the pallet, all covered with a cover. This arrangement requires the addition of an additional base to prevent the products deposited in the packaging from escaping between the blades of the pallet. Another version consists in associating the same pallet with a bell box comprising a bottom and a cover whose edges overlap with a belt constituting the side walls of the container. These two types of packaging make the loading operation difficult, accessibility to the interior volume being possible only from the upper part: moreover, these packages can not be used as display stands, any premarked lines of incision and folding necessary for this transformation inevitably altering the mechanical strength of the packaging ; moreover, the contained products are no longer maintained if the belt is removed. Finally, the types of packaging particularly intended for the presentation of products at points of sale never offer a complete visualization of these due to the obligation to allow a sufficient part of the container to remain for the good mechanical strength of this one.

 The packaging according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. According to the latter, it is indeed possible for a single person, from the pre-assembled packaging and the constituent elements of which are folded flat on a rigid and plane basic element constituting the bottom, to produce a volume of this packaging without any gluing or stapling operation and loading it either by one or the other of two of its opposite side faces or by both together and this, over the entire height of the packaging, from the base plan.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the articulation of the unfoldable elements on the bottom and their spacing maintenance ensures permanent tightening of the constituent elements between them determining perfect self-stability of the packaging during loading.

 Finally, according to another characteristic of the invention, the display version is made without the need to make incisions to modify the structure of the packaging, which ensures complete visuality of the contents of the packaging over its entire height. , and over almost its entire width.

 The packaging, object of the invention, consists of a rigid and planar basic element of good mechanical resistance to bending and compression, the material used for its production can be, for example, plywood or agglomerated wood. , expanded polystyrene, or a honeycomb panel of cardboard or paper, and on which base element are glued at two opposite ends two elements of vertical walls foldable flat on said base element, each of these two elements returning to the contiguous sides of the basic element, the fold lines that the vertical return strips comprise ensuring an internal folding of these, so as to insert them in thickness between the vertical wall concerned and the basic element: such arrangement having the advantage of limiting the space requirement on the surface of the package folded flat on the one hand and on the other hand avoiding the risks of catching and deterioration of these strips during handling and t transport of packaging. The unfoldable elements are kept open at their spacing distance by means of two square or rectangular blanks acting as spacers which are vertically inscribed between them so as to constitute the contiguous side walls of the packaging, only one of these blanks being necessary to ensure perfect stability of the packaging in the unfolded position, such an arrangement leaving the entirety of the opposite face free to effect the loading of the packaging. The locking of the side walls is ensured by setting place of a cover whose lateral edges overlap on the upper part of the external face of said side walls, this cover being obtained from a cardboard blank by any known means, such as by snap-fastening, gluing or stapling .

 The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of nonlimiting example an embodiment of a cardboard packaging according to the present invention. In these - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the package, in the unfolded position, the front side wall playing the role of spacer, being removed, this view can illustrate the configuration of the package before loading . For a better understanding of the drawing, the cover is shown in an elevated position, - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the packaging during folding, - Figure 3 shows a flat view of one of the blanks of cut cardboard with pre-marked fold lines, designed to make the elements of vertical folding walls.

 As shown in these drawings, the packaging comprises a rigid and planar basic element 1 constituting the actual bottom of the packaging and made of a material with good resistance to bending and compression: this material can for example be , a plywood or chipboard panel, an expanded polystyrene panel or a honeycomb panel of cardboard or paper, or any other material with the same mechanical characteristics. In the example illustrated, in FIG. 1, this bottom is provided with studs 2 of sufficient thickness to allow the passage of the gripping fork of a handling trolley. At the edge of two opposite edges of the base element are stuck two elements of vertical folding walls 3, each of them is obtained by cutting a blank of cardboard, according to a perimeter contour illustrated in FIG. 3. decompose into a rectangular central part 3a corresponding to one of the smallest side walls of the parallelepiped packaging chosen as an example, the length of said rectangular central part being equal to the width of the basic element, the height of this central part being at most slightly less than the length of this basic element. This central part 3a is bordered at each of its ends by a vertical strip 3b intended to make a right angle on the contiguous lateral faces. Parts 3a and 3b separated by two vertical delivery lines corresponding to the vertical edges of the packaging respectively have in their lower part a flap 3c and 3d, these flaps being separated from each other by cutouts at 450 avoiding their overlapping during the bonding operation on the basic element 1.In order to allow a flat folding of each element 3 on the basic element 1, the parts 3a and 3b have in their lower part two parallel lines of repressions 3rd and 3f avoiding the formation of a bead which occurs inside any folding angle greater than 900 and reducing the stress in this case giving the nerve to the folded part, which tends to return to its initial position.

The spacing between the delivery lines is such that it can admit the thickness of the assembly of a folded element 3. On the flap 3c of the central part 3a there is also provided another delivery line 39 collaborating with the lines 3e and 3f and situated between the line 3f and the end of the flap in order to facilitate this folding, this line limiting on the other hand, the gluing area of the end of this flap to avoid any tearing of the glued parts at the time of the folding operation.

This arrangement is not necessary on the flaps of each strip, the pull-out stresses to which these are subjected being practically zero during the said operation.

It follows that their gluing can be pushed to the limit of line 3f. In order to allow an inward folding of each strip 3b and so as to register these between the central part 3a and the basic element 1 constituting the bottom, there are provided on these two parallel delivery lines 3j and 3k inclined at 450 and coming from the angle of the packaging; these delivery lines share the flap in two parts coming face to face at the end of folding. This folding is also facilitated by a complementary delivery line 3m parallel to lines 39 and 3h and by a cutout to lighten the angle 3n. The inward folding of the strips limits the space requirement on the surface of the packaging folds and avoids the risks of snagging and as a result of deterioration by tearing of said strips during handling or transport, these then having a tendency to come to be pressed against the adjoining lateral faces.

Each of these is produced by means of a square or rectangular cardboard blank 4 which is rigid enough to act as a spacer between the folding elements 3 and keep them in the unfolded position. The length of the blank very slightly greater than the spacing of the unfolded elements on the one hand and the tendency to fold back of these on the other hand contribute to creating sufficient contact pressures to obtain stability of the packaging in position unfolded. This stability can be achieved with only one of these two blanks, the packaging can be loaded by the non-closed side thereof.

In addition, foldable elements 3a can be provided on the central part 3a, at least two tabs 3p making it possible to keep the walls 4 in contact with the internal face of the strips 3b at the start of the loading operation. At the end of loading, the second wall 4 is slid by vertical translation between the internal face of the strips 3b and the loading. The four corner cutouts 3n are then masked by the two walls 4. To allow simultaneous loading by the two opposite open faces, the two blanks 4 being removed, the elements of the foldable side walls 3 can be held in the unfolded position by a spacer launched at the top of these comprising at each end a means of positioning on the thickness of each element 3, such as a groove for example.

The four side walls of the packaging are locked in the unfolded position using a cover 5, the side edges of which cover the upper part of said walls.

This cover is produced by folding a cardboard blank comprising premarked fold lines, the connection between them of the bottom and edges of the cover being carried out by any known means such as snap-fastening, stapling or gluing.

 The packaging, as described, has in addition the possibilities of access to one or the other or to the two open walls facilitating the loading and unloading operations and over their entire height, the advantage of being foldable under a small volume combined with a low weight thus facilitating its storage and its transport. In addition, it can be easily reused. Finally, the worked surface of material used for its production is less than that of a conventional box.

 The packaging, object of the invention, can be used for the packaging of all products and their presentation at points of sale.

Claims (9)

- CLAIMS  1.- Pre-assembled and unfoldable packaging and transport pallet case that can be used as a display stand, characterized in that it consists of a rigid and flat base element of good mechanical resistance to bending and compression, on which are glued to the edge of two of its opposite edges two vertical wall elements each having two lateral returns, which vertical walls and their lateral returns are foldable flat on the base element and in the bulk of its surface, maintaining with spacing of said vertical walls in the unfolded position being ensured by two blanks registering vertically therebetween so as to produce the adjoining side walls, one of these blanks being sufficient to ensure perfect stability of the packaging in the unfolded position , such an arrangement leaving free the entirety of the opposite face for loading and unloading the packaging, or viewing the products ts it contains, the locking of the side walls being ensured by the installation of a cover whose lateral edges overlap on the upper part of the external face of said side walls, the volume of the packaging and its locking by the cover takes place without gluing or stapling.  2.- Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the basic element constituting the bottom is a square or rectangular panel of plywood s or agglomerates, or expanded polystyrene or a honeycomb panel of cardboard or any other material giving this base perfect mechanical resistance to bending and compression, which base element may or may not be provided with studs of sufficient thickness to allow the passage of the gripping fork of a handling trolley.  3.- Box according to claim 1 characterized in that each collapsible side wall element, produced by cutting and folding a blank consists of a central part and two end strips separated by two corresponding parallel delivery lines at the vertical edges of the body, the central part constituting the actual side wall, the two strips returning square to the contiguous lateral faces, the length of the central part being equal to that of the corresponding edge of the element base, the height of said central part being at most slightly less than the length of the adjoining ridge.  4.- Box according to claims 1 and 3, taken together, characterized in that the central part and the side strips constituting the assembly of each foldable side wall element have in their lower part a flap allowing the fixing by gluing of said wall element on the base element of the body, as well as two horizontal discharge lines allowing the side wall element to be folded flat on the base element without the risk of forming a bead inside the folding angle, the spacing between the two delivery lines being such that it can accept the thickness of the assembly of a folded side wall element.  5.- Box according to claims 1, 3 and 4, taken together, characterized in that the flap of the central part of each foldable side wall element comprises a third delivery line parallel to the fold lines, located between them and the end of the flap and collaborating with them to obtain the flat folding of said side wall element on the base element of the body, this complementary line, limiting the gluing area of the end of the flap to avoid any risk of tearing of the glued parts during the folding operation.  6.- Box according to claims 1, 3, 4 and 5, taken together, characterized in that each lateral strip of the foldable side wall element comprises two parallel delivery lines inclined at 450 and coming from the lower angle of the box, dividing the strip into two parts coming face to face at the end of folding, which folding facilitated by a third delivery line parallel to the two delivery lines located in the lower part of each strip flap it towards the inside of the body and inscribed between the central part constituting the actual side wall and the base element, in the folded position.  7.- Box according to claims 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, taken together, characterized in that each lateral strip has in its lower part and bordering the corresponding delivery lines including a vertical cutout of the box lightening eliminating the risk of excess thickness of the folded parts, each lightening cutout being hidden at the end of assembly of the box by the blanks holding the walls in the unfolded position.  8.- Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the maintenance of spacing of the foldable side wall elements, in the unfolded position, is ensured by means of two square or rectangular blanks of sufficient rigidity to act as a spacer without deformation of the body, which blanks which are vertically inscribed between said elements have a length slightly greater than the spacing of the latter in order to achieve sufficient contact pressures for obtaining perfect stability of the body.  9.- Box according to claims 1 and 8, taken together, characterized in that the central part of each foldable side wall element has tabs making it possible to maintain the braced blanks in contact with the internal face of the side strips at the start of loading operation.