FR2684959A1 - Packaging box with rigid walls - Google Patents

Abstract

-Parallelepipedal box with rigid walls for storage, transport and handling. -According to the invention, the side panels (1, 2) can be fitted to the bottom (5) and/or to the other panels, this assembly determining a housing for battens (33, 34) of the lid. Applications: economic transport and assembly of a box with rigid walls.

Description

 PACKING BOX WITH RIGID WALLS.

The present invention relates to a packaging case intended in particular, but not exclusively for the protection, transport and handling of various products.

The problem which arises with containers of the parallelepipedal or similar type with rigid walls stems from the fact that their cost of empty transport is high insofar as their volume is incompressible. This results in a very significant loss of space before filling.

To remedy this drawback, it has already been proposed to produce collapsible boxes.

The so-called "American" boxes are made with one or more cardboard plates, folds being provided to allow them to be transported flat before filling. These boxes use the property of cardboard to be able to fold but, because of this foldability, they are relatively weak and are not suitable for fragile products.

It has already been proposed to constitute cardboard boxes, while retaining the ability to fold, reinforced by a generally wooden frame. Such composite bodies are described for example in GB-A-2 140 779,
US-A-3,167,234, US-A-170,346 and US-A-2,027,804. However, these boxes occupy, when folded, a large surface area greater than that of their largest side.

The present invention relates to a box with rigid and resistant walls which can be dismantled and reassembled without tools. Thus, the box can, before filling, be transported completely disassembled over a small area, not exceeding that of its largest face and in a small volume.

According to the present invention, the packaging box with rigid walls is characterized in that it consists of embolable elements. The body can thus be formed by a simple embolism of the different elements.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each of the walls of the box comprises on at least two of its sides grooves or assembly slides.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, each wall of the box is obtained by assembling panels and cleats determining between them slides. Thus, the slides are formed automatically during the manufacture of the walls.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows of particular embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the figures which represent - FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the different stages of mounting
a box according to the invention; - Figures 4a to 4e different views of a side wall
a case; - Figure 5 a perspective view of a second mode of
production.

Figure 1 shows the first assembly step. It consists of depositing on the ground a base 5, which may or may not constitute a pallet, on which a plate 51 is raised relative to the upper surface 53 of the plate or the pallet. This elevation makes it possible to clear a space or groove 52. The first mounting step consists in mounting a first side panel 1 on the base 5. As shown in the figure, the panel 1 has battens 12 on three of its inner sides, 13 and 14. The cleats 13 and 14 are vertical while the cleat 12 is horizontal. The cleat 12 is simply slid into the groove 52 and the edges of the cleats 13 and 14 come to bear on the upper surface 53 of the base 5 and surround two edges of the plate 51. The panel 1 is thus immobilized transversely by the contact of the lateral edges of the cleats 13 and 14 and vertically by the bearing of the upper surface of the cleat 12 below the plate 51. A stiffness cleat 15 is placed outside the panel 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the battens 13 and 14 have a height slightly less than the height of the panel 1.

In the example shown, the base 5 is constituted by a pallet. The assembly would be exactly the same if the body included as a base a flat bottom, the bottom plate then playing the same role as the upper surface 53 of the pallet, namely the determination of a groove 52 allowing the introduction of the cleat 12 and supporting the edges of the battens 13 and 14. The side wall is only constituted by a single panel 1, for example in plywood. But it can also be constituted by two parallel panels, the outer panel masking the battens as in the case of the long sides.

Figure 2 shows the next mounting step. Two small vertical sides 1 have been mounted as indicated above. It is now a question of mounting the large vertical sides 2. The structure of one side will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 4. A side wall 2 consists of two panels respectively exterior 2 and interior 21 spaced apart one from the other, the panel 21 being of smaller area than that of the panel 2.

The panel 2 carries on the inner side two battens on its lateral edges 23 and 24. The space between the panels 2 and 21 and the space between the battens 23 and 24 relative to the panel 21 constitute two lateral slides 22. The mounting is effected by sliding the slide 22, in the example shown, on the panels 1 and on the cleats 14. Preferably, the grooves 22 are partially closed along the upper edge of the panel 21 at their upper part by a horizontal cleat or spacer 25. The panel 21 thus slides over the edges of the panels 1 until it comes into contact with the surface 51, the lower edge of the panel 2 coming to bear against the base surface 53.

Figure 3 shows the next step, the two long sides of the box having been mounted as indicated above.

The final step consists in fitting the cover 3. This cover can be completely flat or have reinforcement bars 36 as shown in FIG. 3. It has at its lower part two transverse battens respectively 33 and 34. When closing of the body, the cleats 34 are naturally embedded in orifices 34 'which are formed on the one hand by the panel 1, by the internal surface of the panel 2 and by the end of the cleat 24 of the panel 1 or 33' in support of the cover.

We find in FIGS. 4a to 4e a side wall 2 forming a large side respectively in profile view, in bottom view, in profile view on the other side and in top view, FIG. 4c representing the same panel in left view. The panels 2 and 21 are for example made of plywood and maintained as a function of the resistance required by battens 25 and 26 or padding.

The set can be nailed or glued. Such walls can also be produced by plastic molding.

FIG. 5 represents another embodiment of the invention which differs from the previous ones only in that the panels 1, 2, 3 and 5 are essentially constituted by sheets of cardboard included in wooden frames.

For example, a cleat 16 has been added to the panel 1. The assembly method is the same as above, additional cleats being fixed on the panels. Another difference consists in that the cover 3 is integral with the rear panel 2 and includes a flap 37 coming to be pressed when the body is closed on the front face 2 on which it can be glued or encircled.

In the above description, it was a question of short sides and long sides of the body to designate the side walls, it is understood that the long sides can have the structure with three battens on the short sides and the short sides with two battens side, the assembly order of the side walls then being reversed.

Thanks to the structure of the different walls of the box, it can be mounted without tools by simply swelling the walls.

The body thus mounted is resistant without recourse to fixing means such as screws or nails. It can be closed by any conventional means such as strapping, gluing or nailing.

Finally, all the sides of the box can be perfectly flat. The use of walls with two panels makes it possible to introduce between them all the necessary stiffness reinforcements. Similarly, the design of the assembly makes it perfectly rigid and resistant.

 It goes without saying that many variants can be introduced, in particular by replacing technically equivalent means without going beyond the ambit of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. Rigid parallelepipedic box characterized  in that it comprises a bottom (5) on which are  two side sides (1), on which are  two other sides (2), the cover (3) being  embolable at the top of the sides  side (1,2). 2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that  the bottom (5) comprises two spaced surfaces (53, 51)  from each other to determine a groove (52). 3. Box according to one of claims 1 or 2,  characterized in that at least one of the two types of  side (1) has a cleat at its bottom  horizontal (12) projecting from the panel (1). 4. Box according to claim 3, characterized in that  the side (12) comprises, on the edges of its face  interior two vertical battens (13, 14; 23, 24). 5. Box according to any one of the claims  previous, characterized in that the sides (1, 2) of  the body includes two parallel panels. 6. Box according to claims 3 and 5, characterized in  that the sides (2) include two panels (2, 21) the  inner surface (21) being less than the surface  outside (2) to determine a groove (22)  embolism of the vertical battens (13, 14). 7. Box according to any one of the claims  previous, characterized in that the bottom (5) constitutes  a pallet.  8. Box according to any one of claims  previous, characterized in that the walls are  made of plywood panels.  9. Box according to one of claims 3 to 7,  characterized in that the walls consist of  cardboard stiffened by cleats. 10. Box according to claim 9, characterized in that  the cover (3) is constituted by the extension of a  side (2) and has a flap (37).