FR2622174A1 - Boxes for packaging or storing various objects. - Google Patents

Abstract

Boxes made of moulded plastic material for packaging or storing various objects, particularly make-up products, comprising a box body 2 of polygonal cross-section, for example square, and a lid. Each of these boxes comprises, on its various sides 7, 8, 10, 11, complementary male 9 and female 12 assembly slides, for example dove-tail shaped. The slides of one of the two series comprise a stop piece 13 at one of their ends. The arrangement is such that it is thus possible to assemble a greater or lesser number of such boxes side by side in order to constitute a continuous assembly. These boxes may be used for the individual packaging of various objects or products, for example make-up products.

Description

"Boxes for packaging
or the storage of various objects "
The present invention relates to molded plastic boxes intended to be used for the storage or packaging of various objects, for example makeup products.

 Currently products of this kind, in particular the eyeshadows, are packaged in small boxes containing several eyeshadows of different shades.

However this requires manufacturers, as well as resellers, to have a stock comprising boxes containing different combinations of eyeshadow colors.
Given the number of different possible combinations, this is an annoying drawback. In addition, it is extremely frequent that the users cannot find the combination of colors which interests them.

 However, this same problem is found in many other cases for products of different natures.

 This is why the present invention relates to storage or packaging boxes which are designed so that they can be combined in different possible combinations. To this end, these boxes, which comprise a box body of polygonal section and a closure cover, are characterized in that each has on its different sides complementary assembly slides, male and female1 for example in the form of a tail dovetail, the slides of one of the two series comprising a stopper at one of their ends, and the arrangement being such that it is thus possible to assemble side by side a greater or lesser number of such boxes to constitute a whole in one piece.

 When the present boxes are used for the individual packaging of eyeshadows or the like, the users can therefore easily group together several of these boxes containing eyeshadows of different colors, according to the particular combination of their choice. However, this same advantage can be used for the packaging of products of different natures.

 In an advantageous embodiment, the packaging boxes according to the invention have a square outline and they have one or two male slides on two neighboring sides and one or two complementary female slides on the other two sides, the female slides comprising, at one of their ends, a transverse rim forming a stop for the male slides.

However, other particularities and advantages of the packaging boxes according to the invention will appear during the following description. This is given with reference to the attached drawing by way of example, and on which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging box according to the invention,
- Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of this box,
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating the method of coupling the complementary slides provided on the packaging boxes according to the invention,
FIG. 4 is a partial plan view from above of several boxes assembled side by side,
- Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an assembly consisting of several of these boxes.

 As shown in FIG. 1, each of these packaging boxes 1 according to the invention comprises a box body 2 and a closure cover 3. However, these two parts are advantageously molded in one piece from a suitable plastic material, the cover 3 being attached to the body of the box by thinned zones 4 forming a hinge. The free edge of the cover 3 carries a hooking tab capable of hooking elastically on a retaining hook 6 carried by the box body.

 In the embodiment shown, the box body 2 has a square contour. It is obviously the same for the cover 3 which is articulated along one of the sides of the box body.

 In accordance with the essential characteristic of the object of the invention, the box body 2 comprises1 on its different sides, complementary assembly slides, male and female respectively. More precisely, two neighboring sides 7 and 8 of the box body 2 each have two slides. males 9 whose axis is perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of this box body.

As for the other two sides 10 and 11, they for their part have two complementary female slides 12 suitable for receiving such male slides 9. These have a cross section in the form of a dovetail and the same is true for the slides females 12. However, at one of their ends, the latter have a shoulder 13 constituting a stop stop limiting the sinking of the male slides 9.

 Thanks to the arrangement thus provided, it is possible to assemble side by side two identical boxes 1a and 1b by engaging the male slides 9 on one of the sides 7 or 8 of the box 1a in the female slides 12 of the one of the sides 10 or 11 of the other box 1b: see FIG. 3 which illustrates the mode of coupling of two complementary slides. During this assembly, the shoulders 13 limit the insertion of the male slides in such a way that the upper faces of the two boxes 1a and 1b are located in the same plane. However, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, it is possible to assemble side by side a larger number of boxes still there, lb .... This makes it possible to produce a unit in one piece which can group a larger number or less important of packaging boxes 1.

 Under these conditions if these boxes are used for the packaging of eyeshadows or other cosmetic products, a user can group, according to her choice, boxes corresponding to a determined combination of several colors. These boxes can be sold individually with their contents so that users can then compose the desired combination of colors themselves.

 However, it is obvious that the boxes according to the invention can be used for the packaging of many other products. Thus they can be used for packaging pharmaceutical products presented in the form of pills or dragees, or even for packaging small haberdashery articles, etc. However, in all these cases, the users can make assemblies themselves grouping together a more or less large number of boxes containing products of different natures.

 Furthermore, it goes without saying that the packaging boxes according to the invention are not limited to the single embodiment described above. Thus these boxes could have a polygonal contour other than a square contour, for example a triangular contour.

As for the assembly slides, they may have a shape and an arrangement different from those provided in the example described above. On the other hand the boxes according to the invention can be used, not only for the packaging of products of various natures, but also for the storage of any objects. Moreover, these boxes can be much larger than in the example described above.

Claims (2)

 1. Plastic molded boxes for packaging or storing various objects, in particular make-up products, comprising a box body of polygonal section and a closing cover, characterized in that each has on its different sides (7 , 8, 10, 11) complementary assembly slides, male (9) and female (12), for example in the form of a dovetail, the slides of one of the two series comprising a stopper ( 13) at one of their ends, and the arrangement being such that it is thus possible to assemble side by side a more or less large number of such boxes to form a unit in one piece.  2. Packaging or storage boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that their outline being square, they have one or two male slides (9) on two neighboring sides (7, 8) and one or two complementary female slides (12 ) on the two other sides (10, 11), the female slides comprising, at one of their ends, a transverse shoulder (13) forming a stop for the male slides.