FR3112531A1 - Safe opening box - Google Patents

Abstract

Safe opening box Cardboard box with secure opening (1), comprising: - A sheath (10) having at least one opening (11), - a drawer (20) sliding in this sheath, having a bottom (25) and locking lugs (22) arranged to cooperate with the openings (11) so as to prevent the drawer from coming out until an action is not exerted simultaneously by the user on the legs (22). The legs comprise at their base a first part (22b) extending substantially in the plane of a support part (22c) cut with the bottom (25) of the drawer, and a second raised part (22a), connecting to the first (22b) by a fold line (F) extending obliquely, so as to allow the tabs (22) to bear by their front edge (22f) against the front edge (11b) of the openings (11) to block the drawer exit. Figure for abstract: Fig.1

Description

Safe opening box

The present invention relates to a box with a secure opening.

It is known to package certain products to be kept out of reach of young children in cardboard boxes, with secure opening, also suitable for mailing.

Boxes are thus known comprising a sliding drawer in a sheath of rectangular section, having openings on its lateral sides. The drawer has side uprights provided with lugs cut with the uprights and engaging in these openings when the drawer is closed. Thus, to open the box, it is necessary to press on the legs while pushing on the back of the drawer, a difficult gesture for a child to perform. These legs are formed by flaps that connect to the top edge of the drawer uprights and are folded down. This has the effect of locally doubling the thickness of the uprights, which can force the user to exert quite strong pressure on the tabs for opening, and also slow down the sliding of the box in its sleeve. In addition, such a system does not block the drawer vis-à-vis a total extraction of the sheath.

Furthermore, when the box is of small dimensions, it is relatively easy to make the sheath sufficiently rigid, as well as the drawer, to prevent access to the contents of the box by lifting the top of the sheath at the front in its part median.

When the box is larger, the scabbard top is more flexible and can be lifted more easily.

It has been proposed to prevent access to the contents of the box by making the drawer with a hinged lid, which can only be raised to access the products below when the drawer has been opened sufficiently. The presence of such a cover complicates the manufacture and use of the box, and increases the quantity of cardboard materials to be used.

There is a need to further improve boxes with secure opening, in particular in order to find a good compromise between its security and its ease of use, the quantity of cardboard materials to be used and the complexity of manufacture.

The invention aims to meet this need, and in particular to facilitate the use and manufacture of the box, while maintaining high security with respect to access to the content by young children.

The subject of the invention is thus a cardboard box with secure opening, comprising:

- A sheath having on each of its two lateral sides at least one opening,

- a sliding drawer in this sheath, having a bottom and side uprights each connected to the bottom by a fold line, the drawer having locking lugs arranged to cooperate with the openings so as to prevent the drawer from coming out as long as a action is not exerted simultaneously by the user on the legs,

box in which, according to a first aspect of the invention, the tabs comprise at their base a first part extending substantially in the plane of a support part cut out with the bottom of the drawer, extending outwards at the beyond the fold line connecting the side upright corresponding to the bottom, and a second raised part, connecting to the first by a fold line extending obliquely relative to the fold line connecting the upright and the bottom, so to allow the tabs to bear by their front edge against the front edge of the openings to block the exit of the drawer and the tabs to retract when an inward thrust is exerted on them by the user.

Thanks to the invention, the locking lugs can be easily produced by cutting, during the manufacture of the drawer, and their production does not lead to a doubling of the thickness of the uprights of the drawer at their level. The realization of the locking tabs can be done without insert or having to add material to the cardboard sheet in which the drawer is cut.

By choosing the shape of the cutout, you can create a more or less large clearance between the support part of each leg and the rest of the bottom of the drawer, and by playing on the inclination of the oblique folding line, you can make the engagement of the tabs in the openings more or less important and influence the effort to be exerted for unlocking.

Thus, the sliding of the drawer can be facilitated, since the legs can easily be retracted if desired, without the security of the opening being affected, since a simultaneous action on the Locking tabs still needed to open the box.

Preferably, the sheath has two openings per lateral side, namely a pair of rear openings, into which engage the locking lugs in the closed position of the drawer, and a pair of front openings, into which the same legs at the end of the opening movement of the drawer to access its contents.

Preferably, the drawer has a flap at the front which is folded over its contents. This flap provides additional security, preventing access to the contents of the drawer by the clearance that may exist between the sheath in its middle part and the drawer, if one tries to move the two apart.

This flap can be part of a stiffener attached to the bottom, fixed or not to the latter.

The stiffener may comprise a central band and uprights each connected by a respective fold line to the central band, the flap being formed in the extension of the central band, between the uprights.

The aforementioned support part of the locking lugs can form an empty space with the bottom. This interval facilitates the deformation of the legs when unlocking. The support part can serve as a spring to absorb the lateral displacement of the legs and its coming into abutment against the bottom can limit its deformation and prevent it from tearing.

This interval may extend, in particular exclusively, from the front side of the support part and along the latter between it and the bottom. The interval can also extend also from the rear side of the support part.

The upper edge of each tab may have a lower front part than the upper edge of the opening and a higher rear part, so that the latter remains engaged inside the sheath when the tabs are engaged in the openings. The legs may have an upper edge extending obliquely upwards and backwards.

The relative inclination between the upper edge of the legs and the upper edge of the openings allows the retraction of the drawer from the position where the legs are engaged in the front openings of the sheath without having to exert pressure on the two legs simultaneously to retract them.

The invention also relates, according to a second of its aspects, in combination with or independently of the foregoing, to a cardboard box comprising:

- A scabbard,

- a drawer sliding in this sheath, having a bottom and side uprights connected to the bottom by a fold line, comprising at the front a flap which is folded over its contents, this flap preferably forming part of a stiffener attached to the bottom, comprising a central band and uprights each connected by a respective fold line to the central band, the flap being formed in the extension of the central band, between the uprights of the stiffener.

The invention may be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, non-limiting examples of implementation thereof, and on examining the appended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective the box with the drawer open,

Figure 2 shows the drawer before forming the sides,

Figure 3 illustrates the cooperation of a locking lug with an opening of the sheath,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of an alternative embodiment of the bracket, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another variant embodiment.

detailed description

The secure box 1 according to the invention, shown in Figure 1, comprises a sleeve 10 in which slides a drawer 20 having compartments 27 to receive products, for example cartons of detergent, the invention however not being limited packaging of a particular product.

The terms front and back, as well as top and bottom, refer to the orientation of the box given in Figure 1.

The sheath 10 is made of a cardboard material with a rectangular cross-section, being wider than it is high, and has on each of its lateral sides 15 a rear opening 11 and a front opening 12.

These openings 11 and 12 can be rectangular or trapezoidal, elongated in the sliding direction of the drawer 20, and extend along and close to the lower edge of each side upright of the sheath. The openings 11 and 12 have front and rear edges that are preferably vertical and perpendicular to the sliding direction of the drawer 20 and respective upper edges 11a and 12a that are horizontal or inclined downwards and rearwards.

If we refer to Figure 2, we see that the drawer 20 has a bottom 25 and side uprights 21 formed in the same sheet of cardboard as the bottom 25, and connected thereto by fold lines L .

The front and rear uprights 23 of the drawer 20 are formed by folding on itself along a folding line G of a two-part flap 23a, 23b, the part 23b being connected to the bottom by a folding line H The distal part 23a is provided on its free edge with two projections 23c and the bottom 25 comprises along the line H two corresponding housings 23d, in which the projections engage during assembly, to hold the parts 23a and 23b folded against each other in a raised position.

Each side upright 21 has at its ends two tabs 21a connected to the main part of the side upright by a fold line K perpendicular to the fold line L.

The tongues 21a are inserted, during the formation of the drawer 20, between the proximal 23b and distal 23a parts, which keeps the side uprights 21 raised.

Each tab 21a has on its inner edge a cutout 21b so as not to interfere with the insertion of the projections 23c into the corresponding housings 23d.

Locking lugs 22 are each made by a cutout 40 of the bottom 25 and of the corresponding side upright 21.

This cutout 40 starts in the example of Figure 2 at its rear end 40a from the fold line L, extends over a portion 40b on the bottom 25 inwards, in a direction perpendicular to the line L, then over a portion 40c in a direction parallel to the line L, before extending over a portion 40c towards the outside as far as the upright 21, in a direction perpendicular to the line L, then over a portion 40d towards the rear on the amount 21, to end with a 40th portion inwards, joining the line L perpendicular to it.

On the portions 40e and 40f, the cutout 40 is narrow, corresponding for example to the width of the cutting tool used.

On the portions 40b, 40c and 40d, the cutout 40 is wider, leaving an empty space 41 of greater width.

Each leg 22 comprises a support part 22c of elongated shape in the sliding direction of the drawer, which extends in the plane of the bottom 25, being separated from the latter by the gap 41. The support part 22c is connected at the fold line L, behind portion 40f.

The support part 22c is extended in the plane of the bottom 25 by a first part 22b extending outwards beyond the fold line L, this first part 22b being connected by a fold line F to a second part 22a.

The folding line F extends obliquely towards the rear in approximation of the line L, from the front edge 22f of the tab, to the inner end of the portion 40f.

Part 22a of tab 22 is raised and extends substantially perpendicular to part 22b, even a little inwards, as can be seen in Figure 1.

The upper edge 22h of the raised part 22a can extend horizontally, parallel to the bottom 25, or obliquely upwards and backwards as detailed below.

The drawer 20 comprises a central stiffener 50, made of cardboard material, which has a central strip 42 attached to the bottom 25. This central strip can be fixed, for example glued, to the bottom, or simply be placed on the latter.

The strip 42 is extended on the sides by uprights 26, which extend perpendicular to the bottom 25.

Front and rear tabs 26a connect to posts 26 and extend outward against front and rear posts 23, as seen in Figure 1. These tabs, along with the weight of the items on the central band, can contribute to maintain the stiffener in place on the bottom, when this one is not fixed on the bottom.

The strip 42 is extended at the front and at the rear by parts 51 folded upwards and each having a flap 24 extending inwards substantially parallel to the bottom 25.

In the example considered, the width of the flap 24 corresponds to the width of the strip 42 and to the interval separating the uprights 26.

When the stiffener 50 is mounted in the drawer 20, it provides inside the latter three compartments 27 extending over the entire length of the drawer, as can be seen in Figure 1, the central compartment 27 being partially closed by the flap 24.

When the drawer 20 is in place in the sleeve 10 and in the closed position, the lugs 22 can engage in the rear openings 11, as shown in Figure 3.

In this figure, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the locking lugs in which the support part 22c is connected at its rear end to the bottom 25, the interval 41 having a width decreasing to zero towards the rear.

The tabs 22 can protrude outward through the opening 11 by the first part 22b and the front edge 22f of the first part, while the rear of the first part 22a extends from the inside of the upright 21, the height of the part 22a at its rear end being for example greater than the height of the opening 11 at the rear, taking into account for example the inclination of the upper edge 11a thereof. On its front edge 11b, the height of the opening 11 is greater than that of the first part 22a.

In the closed position, the flap 24 hinders access to the contents of the drawer 20 in the event of an attempt to lift the middle region of the sheath 10, and thus reinforces the security of the box vis-à-vis an access attempt. to its content by young children.

To open the box, the user must press the tabs 22 to push them inwards and bring the front edge 22f and the part 22b of each tab 22 behind the plane of the opening 11, then push on the back drawer 20 thus unlocked. During this action, the support part 22c can move by elastic deformation inwards, due to the presence of the free interval 41 with the bottom 25.

The tabs 22 can slide along the inner surface of the side uprights of the sheath 10 until they reach the front openings 12.

When it reaches the opening 12, each tab 22 automatically engages therein due to the elasticity of the support part 22c, which acts as a sort of spring arm, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the front edge 22f as well as the first part 22b can come into abutment against the front edge 12b of the opening 12, which prevents the drawer from opening further and keeps it engaged in the sheath.

The drawer 20 is sufficiently open so that the flap 24 can be lifted upwards and forwards if necessary, to access the contents of the corresponding compartment 27.

To close the drawer, the user pushes it back into the sheath; the fact that each lug 22 is not completely extended, the rear corner thereof remaining engaged against the rear face of the side upright of the sheath, as in FIG. 3, allows the drawer to slide without any action having to be exerted on the tabs 22 to push them back into the openings 12.

When they reach the openings 11, the legs 22 automatically engage inside.

Of course, many modifications can be made to box 1 without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In particular, modifications can be made to the construction of the tabs 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

For example, the support part 22c can be made with a width that decreases towards the rear, as shown in Figure 4.

Moreover, in these examples, the cutout 40 extends behind the support part 22c, which is only connected, along the fold line L, to the side upright 21 of the drawer 20.

The raised part 22a of the leg 22 may have a rear edge 22g which extends obliquely upwards and forwards, while the upper edge 22h extends obliquely upwards and backwards. This can make it possible to use openings 11 and 12 of rectangular shape, while having the rear corner of the raised part 22a which remains engaged inside the sheath in the closed and open positions of the drawer defined by these openings.

Can be used to make the box 1 any type of cardboard, covered where appropriate with a plastic film or lacquer.

Claims (10)

Cardboard box with secure opening (1), comprising:
- A sheath (10) having on each of its two lateral sides (15) at least one opening (11),
- a drawer (20) sliding in this sheath, having a bottom (25) and side uprights (21) each connected to the bottom by a fold line (L), the drawer having locking lugs (22) arranged to cooperate with the openings (11) so as to prevent the drawer from coming out until an action is exerted simultaneously by the user on the tabs (22),
box in which the legs (22) comprise at their base a first part (22b) extending substantially in the plane of a support part (22c) cut with the bottom (25) of the drawer, extending towards the exterior beyond the fold line (L), and a second raised part (22a), joining the first (22b) by a fold line (F) extending obliquely relative to the fold line (L ) connecting the upright (21) and the bottom (25), so as to allow the tabs (22) to bear by their front edge (22f) against the front edge (11b) of the openings (11) to block the outlet of the drawer and the legs (22) to retract when an inward thrust is exerted on them by the user. Box according to claim 1, the sheath (10) comprising a pair of rear openings (11), in which the locking tabs (22) engage in the closed position of the drawer, and a pair of front openings (12) , in which engage the same legs at the end of the opening movement of the drawer to access its contents. Box according to one of the preceding claims, the drawer (20) comprising at the front a flap (24) which is folded over its contents. Box according to the preceding claim, the flap (24) forming part of a stiffener (50) attached to the bottom (25). Box according to claim 4, the stiffener (50) comprising a central strip (42) and uprights (26) each connected by a respective fold line to the central strip (42), the flap (24) being formed in the extension of the central band (42), between the uprights (26). Box according to any one of the preceding claims, the support part (22c) forming an empty space (41) with the bottom (25). Box according to claim 6, the gap (41) extending from the front side of the support part (22c) and along it between it and the bottom (25). Box according to claim 7, the gap (41) also extending from the rear side of the support part (22c). Box according to any one of the preceding claims, the upper edge (22h) of each leg (22) having a lower front part than the upper edge of the opening (11; 12) and a higher rear part, such so that it remains engaged inside the sheath (10) when the tabs are engaged in the openings (11; 12). Box according to claim 9, the legs (22) having an upper edge (22h) extending obliquely upwards and rearwards.