FR3133843A3 - Cardboard box with safety lock - Google Patents

Abstract

TITLE: Cardboard box with safety lock Cardboard box formed from a cut blank (1), assembled along fold lines (2), with a lid (4) with a locking tab (5) engaged to the interior, adjacent to a second side (7), a first face (5.1) of which faces the second side (7). A first tab (10) coming from the locking tab (5), folds against the first face (5.1). The first tab (10) comprises a second tab (11) glued against the internal face of the second side (7). The second tab (11) has an opening (12) fitted to the first tab (10), to be recessed in the opening (12). A release tab (14) is provided for the first tab (10). Figure 1

Description

Cardboard box with safety lock FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical field of cardboard boxes for products, in particular the security closures of these boxes which make it possible to control their opening; These boxes are formed from a die-cut blank for their subsequent assembly along the folding lines.

STATE OF THE ART

There are many types and designs of cardboard boxes, most of which are made from a die-cut blank with fold lines that make it easy to assemble later by folding.

Some of these boxes have an open top, without any type of closure, while those that have a closure may have a lid independent of the blank or by flaps and a lid joined to the sides of the box by fold lines.

Depending on the uses or destination functions of the boxes, the type of closure is important, and in some cases a security closure is required to maintain the integrity of the contents of the box.

In some cases, the boxes are used to receive items whose handling or exposure may be dangerous for children, such as, for example, water-soluble capsules of detergents, cleaning products, medicines, etc., and it It is therefore necessary to provide the box with a closure which prevents it from being opened by children.

However, the safety closure which is not limited to its initial opening alone which makes it unusable, because it must be able to be opened if necessary, by a person in charge, without excluding the possibility of closing the box so that it can continue to operate safely.

Documents ES0284258 and ES2256630 are examples of the state of the art.

Document ES0284258 describes an improved folding box whose lid has a groove through which handles are passed to close the box. This box has a lock which ensures that it cannot be accidentally opened during transport, but this is not a safety lock as the box can be opened at any time if desired.

Document ES2256630 describes a reclosable folding box with a front or rear side wall, a tearable and separable security surface by means of a perforation, which has a tab connected to a closing flap and comprising a suspension flap of two connected layers between them and containing a suspension device.

This type of closure offers security conditions making it possible to detect any unwanted opening; this closure is dustproof and the suspension flap allows perfect suspension of the box.

In this case, for the first opening of the box it is necessary to tear off a tearable surface which is a witness to the inviolability of the box; but we will no longer have a secure closing of the box. Reclosing is possible, but without the initial security conditions.

In the state of the art, there is no security closure of cardboard boxes without external elements allowing the box to be closed safely in a continuous or multiple-use manner, that is to say only after the first opening, it is possible to continue using the box while maintaining the initial safety characteristics when the box is closed.

PRESENTATION AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cardboard box with safety closure, formed from a flat blank cut with a cookie cutter to be assembled along folding lines, comprising two end sides, opposite one another. to the other, and a fixing element glued between them, coming from one of the end sides,

- the box including:

* a top closure consisting of at least one cover with a locking tab at its free edge, coming from a first side, so that in the closed position, the cover comes onto the box with its locking tab engaged at the the interior thereof, adjacent to a second side opposite the first side, a first face of which faces the second side,

box characterized in that it includes

- a first tab coming from the free edge of the locking tab, configured to fold along a folding line against the first face of the locking tab,

- means for locking the first tab in the closed position comprising a second tab configured to be stuck against the internal face of the second side,

- the second tab comprising an opening of dimensions adjusted to the dimensions of the first tab, in the closed position of the box, the first tab being retained or embedded in the opening,

- unlocking means, comprising at least one release tab of the first tab, with part of its contour cut out, on the second side in correspondence with the cutout of the second tab.

Thus, in a closed position, the lid is placed on the box with the locking tab fitted inside it, in the vicinity of a second side opposite the first side, with a first face thereof turned towards the second side.

The safety closure comprises a first tab coming from the free end of the locking tab by a folding line, so as to allow it to be folded onto a first surface of the locking tab, and possibly comprises means of fixing by gluing on this first surface in this folding position.

The safety device also includes means for blocking the first tab in the closed position and means for unlocking it.

The locking means comprise a second tab and means for fixing it by gluing to the interior surface of the second side. This second tab has an opening whose dimensions are adjusted to the dimensions of the first tab and it is located in correspondence with the first tab in the closed position.

The unlocking means in turn consist of at least one release tab of the first tab, part of the contour of which is cut out, is located on the second side in correspondence with the opening of the second tab.

The safety closure constitutes a significant improvement in the state of the art.

In fact, the result is a box whose closure allows secure confinement of the product inside, in particular to prevent access to it by children.

At the same time, the closure can be easily unlocked by an adult, if necessary, to access the interior and it is not rendered unusable once opened, so the box can continue to be used while maintaining safety of closure.

It is very easy to use, both when closing the box and to unlock the first tab from its locked position.

It is therefore a very effective security closure, which offers an adequate level of security for cardboard boxes without requiring the use of elements external to the box and this with a simple to use closure.

The present invention will be described below, in more detail, using an embodiment of a box provided with a safety closure according to the invention, represented in the appended drawings in which:

plan view of the flat blank of a box with a safety closure, according to a first embodiment of the invention,

plan view of the flat blank of a box with the first and second flanges, in their folded position and fixed by gluing, of a safety closure, of a first embodiment of the invention,

perspective view of a box with a safety closure in an intermediate open position of the first embodiment of the invention,

perspective view of a box with a safety closure in its closed position of the first embodiment of the invention,

plan view of the flat blank of a box with a safety closure, according to a second embodiment of the invention,

plan view of the flat blank of a box with a safety closure, according to a third embodiment of the invention,

perspective view of a box with a safety closure in an intermediate opening position according to the third embodiment of the invention,

perspective view of a box with a safety closure in the closed position of the box according to the third embodiment of the invention,

plan view of the flat blank of a box with a safety closure, according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

According to the figures, in a first preferred embodiment of a box of the invention, the cardboard box security lock is that of boxes configured from a blank 1 cut with a cookie cutter for assembly later along fold lines 2; it comprises two end sides, opposite each other, and between them a fixing element fixed by gluing; it comes from one of the end sides.

The cardboard box includes an upper closure consisting of a cover 4 with a locking tab 5 at its free end, and which comes from a first side 6.

Figure 3/1 shows the box with the top closure, partially open; Figure 3/2 shows the closed position of the box; the cover 4 is in an intermediate position, about to close the box, with the locking tab 5 engaged inside the box, near the second side 7 opposite the first side 6, the first face 5.1 of which is turned towards the second side 7.

According to Figures 1, 2, 3/1 and 3/2, in this first embodiment, the top closure also includes two flaps 8 coming from two sides 9 of the box which face each other. In other embodiments, these flaps 8 do not exist or are different in number, arrangement or configuration.

The safety closure comprises a first tab 10 connected to the free end of the locking tab 5 by a folding line 2, as illustrated in the , so as to allow the folding of this first tab 10 against the first face 5.1 of the locking tongue 5, as can be seen in the . In another embodiment, this tab 10 comprises fixing means for being glued to the first surface 5.1.

Furthermore, according to the , the safety closure has means for blocking the first tab 10 in the closed position, comprising a second tab 11 and means for fixing by gluing on the internal face of the second side 7, as illustrated in the .

This second tab 11 has a cutout 12 of dimensions adjusted to the dimensions of the first tab 10 and located in correspondence with the first tab 10 in the closed position, as illustrated in Figure 3/1. When the tab 10 is pressed against the tab 5.1 during assembly, this adjusted dimension allows the tab 10 to be inserted and fixed in the cutout 12.

In this first embodiment of the box of the invention, ( ), the second tab 11 is connected to the upper edge of the second side 7 by a folding line 2 allowing its folding against the internal face of the second side 7, as shown in the . In another embodiment, not shown in the figures, this second tab 11 is a separate part of the blank cut with a cookie cutter 1, and which is simply glued to the interior face of the second side 7.

The connecting means between the ends of the sides 6, 9 of the blank 1 comprises a third tab 13, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, coming from one of them, and connected by a folding line 2. In the example illustrated in the figures, the third tab 13 coming from side 9 could obviously also come from the other end, from side 6 and fulfill the same technical function.

In other preferred embodiments of the box of the invention, one of the end sides of the blank 1 is the second side 7. In this case, as in a second embodiment ( ), the connecting means between the second side 7 and its opposite end side is formed by the second tab 11, coming from a folding line 2, from the end side 9, and which remains adjacent to the second side 7 in the assembly.

The safety closure also comprises release means, formed by at least one release tab 14 of the first tab 10, part of the contour of which, located on the second side 7 and is cut in correspondence with the cutout 12 of the second leg 11.

In a first embodiment, the release means are formed by two release tabs 14 whose dimension allows the passage of at least two fingers of the hand. In other embodiments, such as the second embodiment ( ), there is only one release tab 14.

In this way, to unlock the safety lock, the release tab(s) 14 are pressed inwards, thus pushing the first tab 10 wedged or retained into the cutout 12 of the second tab 11, thus unlocking it. and allowing the opening of the lid 4 of the box.

As indicated above, this operation is reversible; to securely close the box, simply re-engage the first tab 10 in the cutout 12 of the second tab 11, then pressing in the opposite direction (from the inside of the box towards the outside).

According to a third embodiment of the box shown in Figures 5, 6/1 and 6/2, the cutout contour portion of the release tab 14 is discontinuous to form two cutout contour segments 16 symmetrical with respect to the intermediate zone 15 for fixing the release tab 14 to the second side 7.

This configuration prevents the release tab 14 from being in an inwardly depressed position when pushed in this direction to release the safety catch, as this would cause problems if the locking tab 5 encountered the locking tab. unlocking 14 when the box is closed, as shown in Figure 6/2. The intermediate zone 15 constitutes a connection point between the two segments 16 whose contour is cut with a cookie cutter; the intermediate zone 15 prevents the two segments 16 from being folded inwards.

In the same vein, in this third embodiment, the cutout 12 of the second tab 11 has projecting parts 17 on its contour which is further away from the closure of the top of the box in the fixing position by gluing of the second tab 11. The projecting parts 17 are oriented towards the inside of the cutout 12, as shown in Figures 5, 6/1 and 6/2 and they work together in the same direction as the intermediate zone 15, because they prevent the release tab 14 from bending towards the inside of the box; this prevents it from being an obstacle when trying to close the box.

Although in this third embodiment, the box has both the intermediate fixing zone 15 on the cut contour of the release tab 14 and the projecting parts 17 of the cutout 12, in other embodiments it may have only one of these elements and not both.

According to another aspect, as represented on the , in this third embodiment, the first tab 10 has a cutout 18 at its edge opposite the edge of the locking tab 5.

This locking tab 5 has an intermediate folding line 2.1 parallel to its free edge and located closer to the free edge than to the cover 4, so as to form a first strip 19.1 of the locking tab 5 which can bend relative to a second strip 19.2 adjacent to the cover 4.

This configuration with cutout 18 and intermediate folding line 2.1 improves the closing of the box made by an automatic machine.

According to another aspect, in the first and second embodiment of the box, the bottom of the box is formed by four flaps 3, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 for the first embodiment, and at the for the second embodiment. These flaps 3 come from the lower edge of the first, second and third sides 6, 7, 9 of the box; they overlap to form the bottom. In other embodiments, this background is produced in other known ways, without necessarily having four flaps.

In the third embodiment of the box, as can be seen in the , the bottom has four flaps 3, while in a fourth embodiment, illustrated on the , representing a manually assembled box, the base also has four flaps 3; the two flaps coming from the first and second opposite sides 6, 7 are larger than the two other flaps 3 coming from the two third sides 9.

In this fourth embodiment, the box also has the cutout 18 of the first tab 10 and the intermediate folding line 2.1 of the locking tab 5 to improve the closing of its box even to close it manually, and an intermediate zone 15 for connecting the release tab 14 as well as the projecting parts 17 on the contour of the cutout 12 of the second tab 11 to prevent the locking tab 5 from being blocked by the release tab 14.

NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS

1 Flan

2 Folding line

2.1 Intermediate folding line

2.2 Intermediate folding line

3 Part

4 Lid

5 Locking tab

5.1 First side

5.2 Second side

6 First side

7 Second side

8 Flap

9 Third side

10 First leg

11 Second leg

12 Cutting

13 Third leg

14 Release tab

15 Intermediate zone

16 Segment

17 Projecting part

18 Cutting

19.1 First band

19.2 Second band

Claims (9)

Cardboard box with safety closure, formed from a flat blank (1) cut with a cookie cutter to be assembled along folding lines (2), comprising two end sides, opposite each other the other, and a fixing element glued between them, coming from one of the end sides, - the box comprising:
* an upper closure consisting of at least one cover (4) with a locking tab (5) at its free edge, coming from a first side (6), so that in the closed position, the cover (4) comes on the box with its locking tab (5) engaged inside it, adjacent to a second side (7) opposite the first side (6), a first face (5. 1) of which faces towards the second side (7),
box characterized in that it includes
- a first tab (10) coming from the free edge of the locking tab (5), configured to fold along a folding line (2) against the first face (5.1) of the locking tab (5),
- means for locking the first tab (10) in the closed position comprising a second tab (11) configured to be stuck against the internal face of the second side (7),
- the second tab (11) comprising an opening (12) of dimensions adjusted to the dimensions of the first tab (10), in the closed position of the box, the first tab (10) being retained or embedded in the opening (12) ,
- unlocking means, comprising at least one unlocking tab (14) of the first tab (10), with part of its contour cut out, on the second side (7) in correspondence with the cutout (12) of the second tab (11). Cardboard box with security closure according to claim 1,
in which
the second tab (11) is connected to the upper edge of the second side (7) by a folding line (2) and the connecting element between the sides of the blank (1) is a third tab (13) coming from the one of them along a fold line (2). Cardboard box with security closure according to claim 1,
in which
one of the sides of the blank (1) is the second side (7) and the connecting element between the second side (7) and the side opposite this is the second tab (11), extending along a line folding (2) on the opposite side (9) adjacent to the second side (7). Cardboard box with security closure according to claim 1,
in which
the second tab (11) is a separate part of the die-cut blank (1), and glued to the interior face of the second side (7). Cardboard box with security closure according to any one of the preceding claims,
in which
the cut part of the contour of the release tab (14) is discontinuous so as to form two segments (16) cut with symmetrical contours relative to an intermediate zone (15) for fixing the release tab (14) on the second side (7). Cardboard box with security closure according to any one of the preceding claims,
in which
the cutout (12) of the second tab (11) has projecting parts (17) on its contour farthest from the closure of the top of the box in the glued position of the second tab (11), in which the parts projecting (17) are oriented towards the inside of the cutout (12). Cardboard box with security closure according to any one of the preceding claims,
in which
the first tab (10) comprises a cutout (18) in its edge opposite the free edge of the locking tab (5), and this locking tab (5) has an intermediate fold line (2.1) parallel to its free edge and located closer to this free end than to the cover (4), so as to form a first strip (19.1) of the locking tab (5) capable of being folded relative to a second strip (19.2) adjacent to the cover (4). Cardboard box with security closure according to any one of the preceding claims,
in which
the first tab (10) coming from the free edge of the locking tongue (5) is glued to the first face (5.1) of the locking tongue (5). Cardboard box with security closure according to any one of the preceding claims,
in which
the release means consist of two release tabs (14) whose dimension allows the passage of at least two fingers of the hand.