GB1568508A - Packing case - Google Patents

Description

(54) PACKING CASE (71) We, PHILIP REDMOND & BR< SONS LIMITED, a British Company of Cross Green Way, Leeds, LS9 OSE, Yorkshire, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to packing cases.

A type of packing case is known which comprises upright walls defining a sleeve portion, a base which may be either integral with or detachable from the lower end of the sleeve portion, and a detachable lid having a downwardly projecting marginal flange which, when the lid is in place on the upper end of the sleeve portion, surrounds the top edges of the said walls. Such a packing case is referred to hereinafter in this specification as a packing case of the type aforesaid.

In a particularly advantageous known construction, a packing case of the type aforesaid has a detachable base comprising a bottom portion and an upwardly extending marginal flange such that, when the sleeve of the case is in place on the upper surface of the bottom portion, the flange surrounds the lower edges of the walls of the sleeve. Moreover, in this construction, the lid and base are of similar shape but the external dimensions of the flange of the base correspond to the internal dimensions of the flange of the lid so that with the sleeve removed, the lid can be fitted with its flange surrounding the flange of the base to form a shallow box.The sleeve is provided with both inward and outward vertical folds so that it can be collapsed flat, and when so collapsed its superficial dimensions are such that it can be accommodated within the box formed by fitting of the lid over the base.

This arrangement provides for a considerable saving of storage space when the case is not in use.

But the sleeve is normally of constant internal section so that, if the walls of the sleeve are of constant thickness and the flange of the base is a close fit around the sleeve at the lower end, the flange of the lid will fit only loosely around the sleeve at the upper end with the result that the lid may tend to become dislodged inadvertently or feloniously.

Fibreboard in either its solid or any of its corrugated forms is in some respects, e.g.

weight and cost, an advantageous material from which to form cases and sleeves for cases. However, it suffers from lack of rigidity when compared, for example, with wood. This lack of rigidity results in limited resistance to the crushing forces encountered in stacks of cases. Moreover, the ease with which the material can be deformed, particularly at edges, reduces the security of a fibreboard-sided cases against unauthorised access.

It is an object of the invention to provide a sleeve portion for a case of the type aforesaid in which one or more of these disadvantages is or are mitigated.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a packing case of the type aforesaid comprising a sleeve portion of which the walls comprise flexible sheet material and at least one of said walls is creased to define an upper edge flap which extends across at least a substantial proportion of the width of the wall and can be folded outwardly and downwardly through substantially 1800, and a lid having downwardly extending flanges which fit around said walls of the sleeve portion with said edge flap or flaps so folded.

The sleeve portion may be combined with an integral base, but in a preferred form of the invention, the base is detachable and comprises upwardly extending flanges. The lid of the packing case can then, in the absence of the sleeve, be positioned with its flanges surrounding the flanges of the base to form a box, and the sleeve may be collapsible and in its collapsed form accommodated within the said box.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a case comprising sleeve and separate lid and base; Figure 2 is a horizontal section along line II-II of Figure 1 (with the sleeve shown partially collapsed); Figure 3 is a vertical section of the case of Figure 1 with the sleeve completely col- lapsed and contained within the box formed from the lid and base; Figure 4 is a part of Figure 1 enlarged; and Figure 5 is a detail of a portion of the sleeve (shown partially collapsed) and of the base.

A collapsible sleeve 1 is defined by rectangular fibreboard walls, 2, 3, 4, 5. 6 and 7, connected to one another at vertical edges 8 and 9 about which the sleeve folds.

When fully erected, the sleeve fits with the bottom edges 10 of its walls on the upper surface of the bottom portion of fibreboard base 11 of which the marginal flange 12 fits closely around the lower edges of the sleeve walls (Figure 1). The sleeve is adapted to collapse inwardly at folds 9 (Figure 2), and an upstanding bracket 18 is provided interiorly of the folds 9 to prevent inadvertent collapse of the sleeve.

Figures 1 and 3 show lid 13 with its flange 14 fitted, respectively, around the upper edge of the sleeve and around flange 12 of base 11 to form a box. Figure 3 also shows the sleeve in fully collapsed form accommodated within the box formed by the base and lid.

Creases 16 and 17 are formed respectively in the outer and inner faces of the walls of the sleeve to define upper edge flaps 15 which are cut short of the vertical folds as shown in Figure 5 so that they can be folded cut of the planes of their respective walls.

The creases are such as to facilitate the folding of the flaps outwardly and downwardly as shown by arrow 19 in Figure 4. In this embodiment the creases comprise a conventional 5-point crease, although other arrangements are possible.

Because of the elasticity of the material of construction of the sleeve walls, and especially when the material is corrugated fibeboard and the creases 16 and 17 are across the deckle, the flaps 15 tend to return, after folding, towards their original position. The result is that when lid 13 is fitted over the top of the sleeve after the flaps have been folded down, the flaps are urged into close contact with the inner surface of lid flange 14 as shown, somewhat exaggeratedly, in Figure 4. The close contact is to some extent maintained even if the sleeve wall is deformed inwardly. This construction inhibits pilfering from the case because the more prominent of the gaps between the lid flange and the sleeve wall, into which a would-be thief would insert a hand to try to gain access to the goods contained in the case is the blind gap between the flap and the wall.

This anti-pilfering feature will also be advantageous in an embodiment of the invention wherein the sleeve of the case is integral with the base. The extra thickness of sleeve wall material provided at the top edge of the case when the flap is folded down also provides both in separate-base and integral-base embodiments, added resistance to crushing, for example, in storage.

However, in the embodiment described in which a flanged base is separable from the sleeve and the sleeve with its upper-edge flaps raised, is collapsible to a form in which it can be accommodated within the base, there is the added advantage that the lid which fits closely around the downwardly folded flaps of the sleeve to provide a sleeve case will also fit around the flange of the base to provide a box for containing the collapsed sleeve.

Reference has been made to the use of corrugated fibreboard as a material of construction for the sleeve. As an alternative, solid fibreboard or indeed any other suitable flexible sheet material may be used. Preferably, but not essentially, a similar sheet material will be used for the base and the lids as is used for the sleeve.

Alternative modes of collapse may be provided for the sleeve. A case comprising integral sleeve portion and base may also be provided with a separable base and lid.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A packing case of the type aforesaid comprising a sleeve portion of which the walls comprise flexible sheet material and at least one of said walls is creased to define an upper edge flap which extends across at least a substantial portion of the width of the wall and can be folded outwardly and downwardly through substantially 1800, and a lid having downwardly extending flanges which fit around said walls of the sleeve portion with said edge flap or flaps so folded.

2. A packing case according to Claim 1 wherein each of the walls of the sleeve portion is creased to define an upper edge flap which can be folded outwardly and downwardly.

3. A packing case according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 of which case the sleeve portion is combined with an integral base.

4. A packing case according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 having a detachable base comprising upwardly extending flanges.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. to form a box, and the sleeve may be collapsible and in its collapsed form accommodated within the said box. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a case comprising sleeve and separate lid and base; Figure 2 is a horizontal section along line II-II of Figure 1 (with the sleeve shown partially collapsed); Figure 3 is a vertical section of the case of Figure 1 with the sleeve completely col- lapsed and contained within the box formed from the lid and base; Figure 4 is a part of Figure 1 enlarged; and Figure 5 is a detail of a portion of the sleeve (shown partially collapsed) and of the base. A collapsible sleeve 1 is defined by rectangular fibreboard walls, 2, 3, 4, 5. 6 and 7, connected to one another at vertical edges 8 and 9 about which the sleeve folds. When fully erected, the sleeve fits with the bottom edges 10 of its walls on the upper surface of the bottom portion of fibreboard base 11 of which the marginal flange 12 fits closely around the lower edges of the sleeve walls (Figure 1). The sleeve is adapted to collapse inwardly at folds 9 (Figure 2), and an upstanding bracket 18 is provided interiorly of the folds 9 to prevent inadvertent collapse of the sleeve. Figures 1 and 3 show lid 13 with its flange 14 fitted, respectively, around the upper edge of the sleeve and around flange 12 of base 11 to form a box. Figure 3 also shows the sleeve in fully collapsed form accommodated within the box formed by the base and lid. Creases 16 and 17 are formed respectively in the outer and inner faces of the walls of the sleeve to define upper edge flaps 15 which are cut short of the vertical folds as shown in Figure 5 so that they can be folded cut of the planes of their respective walls. The creases are such as to facilitate the folding of the flaps outwardly and downwardly as shown by arrow 19 in Figure 4. In this embodiment the creases comprise a conventional 5-point crease, although other arrangements are possible. Because of the elasticity of the material of construction of the sleeve walls, and especially when the material is corrugated fibeboard and the creases 16 and 17 are across the deckle, the flaps 15 tend to return, after folding, towards their original position. The result is that when lid 13 is fitted over the top of the sleeve after the flaps have been folded down, the flaps are urged into close contact with the inner surface of lid flange 14 as shown, somewhat exaggeratedly, in Figure 4. The close contact is to some extent maintained even if the sleeve wall is deformed inwardly. This construction inhibits pilfering from the case because the more prominent of the gaps between the lid flange and the sleeve wall, into which a would-be thief would insert a hand to try to gain access to the goods contained in the case is the blind gap between the flap and the wall. This anti-pilfering feature will also be advantageous in an embodiment of the invention wherein the sleeve of the case is integral with the base. The extra thickness of sleeve wall material provided at the top edge of the case when the flap is folded down also provides both in separate-base and integral-base embodiments, added resistance to crushing, for example, in storage. However, in the embodiment described in which a flanged base is separable from the sleeve and the sleeve with its upper-edge flaps raised, is collapsible to a form in which it can be accommodated within the base, there is the added advantage that the lid which fits closely around the downwardly folded flaps of the sleeve to provide a sleeve case will also fit around the flange of the base to provide a box for containing the collapsed sleeve. Reference has been made to the use of corrugated fibreboard as a material of construction for the sleeve. As an alternative, solid fibreboard or indeed any other suitable flexible sheet material may be used. Preferably, but not essentially, a similar sheet material will be used for the base and the lids as is used for the sleeve. Alternative modes of collapse may be provided for the sleeve. A case comprising integral sleeve portion and base may also be provided with a separable base and lid. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A packing case of the type aforesaid comprising a sleeve portion of which the walls comprise flexible sheet material and at least one of said walls is creased to define an upper edge flap which extends across at least a substantial portion of the width of the wall and can be folded outwardly and downwardly through substantially 1800, and a lid having downwardly extending flanges which fit around said walls of the sleeve portion with said edge flap or flaps so folded.

2. A packing case according to Claim 1 wherein each of the walls of the sleeve portion is creased to define an upper edge flap which can be folded outwardly and downwardly.

3. A packing case according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 of which case the sleeve portion is combined with an integral base.

4. A packing case according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 having a detachable base comprising upwardly extending flanges.

5. A packing case according to Claim 4

when dependent upon Claim 2 wherein the flaps of the sleeve and the flanges of the base are constructed of sheet material of similar thickness whereby in absence of the sleeve the lid fits around the flanges of the base to form a box.

6. A packing case according to Claim 5 wherein the sleeve portion is collapsible and in its collapsed condition can be accommodated within the said box.

7. A packing case of the type aforesaid substantially as described with reference to the Figures.