GB2075471A - Cardboard boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

A cardboard box or lid comprises a bottom board 15 and a side wall 13 formed by a strip or series of strips of material joined in a loop by the engagement of tabs 9 in slits 8. The wall 13 may be joined to the board 15 by tab-and-slot connections or by engagement of the board 15 within a groove 12 adjacent an inwardly-rolled flange 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Take-down carboard boxes Detailed description of this invention With the development of industry and commerce, various paper boxes are increasingly demanded in all respects. Light in weight as such paper boxes are, they are too bulky to be carried, transported or stored conveniently and economically.Although one-piece type collapsible cardboard boxes have long been developed, which can be collapsed, folded, and flattened into a tabulate structure when unused, to reduce the size for convenience sake of conveyance, delivery and transportation, their shapes are confined to limited geometrical forms such as square or rectangle that comprises exclusively monotonous, straight lines intersecting at right angle and lacks of change thus such boxes fail to act an important role in arresting the attention of consumers and are greatly restricted of their application, since several market researches strongly evince that a pretty, impressive package always attracts customers more than does the content and the quality themselves.Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide one kind of takedown cardboard boxes characterised by that all the component elements can be conveniently and readily assembled by means of leg-and-slit joint to form various preferred shapes to adapt to whatever occasions packaging is needed.

The present invention relates to cardboard boxes, and more particularly to take-down ones comprising such elements as lid-board, bottomboard, and side-board characterised in that the case body can be readily and conveniently formed by mounting said side-board onto said bottomboard in place through inserting the pre-modeled inserting-legs on one side of said side-board into corresponding slit on definite position of the bottom-board, while the cover is formed by inserting the trapezoid inserter on one end of another side-board into the corresponding, slantslit on the another end thereof to make up the "inclosing wall", and then stuffing the lid board thereinto.

Another feature of this invention consists in that said joining means of the cover can be applied to the case body, and vise versa.

The main feature of the present invention lies in that said side-board of the case body and the cover can be respectively so shaped as to adapt to various kinds of botton-board and lid-board, together to construct different kinds of cardboard boxes for the use in different situations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide one kind of cardboard boxes of which the angle or curvature may vary, depending on the preference, and is characterised by that such boxes can be taken apart as easy as they can be formed by putting their elements together, into lidboard, side-board, and bottom-board to be separately piled and transported or stored both to reduce the transported fee and avoid abrasion, deformation, or other damage by undue conveyance.

Since all the elements, such as lid-board, sideboard, bottom-board have relatively simple outline in comparison with the conventional, one-piece collapsibie cardboard boxes, they can be more conveniently and inexpensively formed integrally by machine cutting with relatively small loss of the material due to the residual useless portion left after cutting the preferred shape out of a piece of cardboard, therefore ensures to make the best of material and reduce the waste to minimum.

Furthermore, inasmuch as the entire box can be readily formed by hand, such procedure as gluing, paste-seaiing, drying can be omitted, so as to reduce the cost of material and labour.

Numerous other features, objects, and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is the developed view of a side-board of the case body; Fig. 2 is the fragmental view of a case-body, comprising a bottom-board and a side-board formed by a pair of side-board elements joining together in a head-to-tail manner; Fig. 3 is the developed view of a side-board of the cbver; Fig. 4 is a developed view of a "legless" sideboard of the cover; Fig. 5 is a graphical representation of a round cdver according to this invention; Fig. 6 is another graphical representation of a rectangular cover according to this invention;; Fig. 7 is heart-shaped case body according to this invention Fig. 8 is a graphical representation of a completed box'according to this invention; Fig. 9 is the perspective view of the box in Fig. 8 shawing the profile along A-A'.

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown an opened and flattened side-board (1) with inserting-legs (2) spaced of equal distance apart from each other, on either end of which there is provided a horizontal slit (3) and a downward inserter (4) respectively.

However, an "inclosing wall" of the case-body is more preferably formed by two like, such elements coupled with each other in a head-to-tail manner (see Fig. 2), and then insert their insertingleg into the corresponding slits of bottom-board (5), together to construct the uncovered case body. When coupled "inclosing wall" is desired, the length of slit (3) is preferably slightly larger than the width of inserter (4) to leave an allowance for the accurate positioning of each pair of inserting-leg and slit due to the very slight error that may probably occur in the space between the two adjacent inserting-legs, each of which belongs to different side-board element that construct the coupled inclosing wall.To allow the "inclosing wall" be rooted, there is provided a number of symmetrical slits (6) around the periphery of bottom board (5) corresponding to the inserting legs (2) of the aforesaid side wall, into which the latters insert. Owing to the resumptive force of corrugated board that exerted by the edges of the slit fastening the inserting legs inserted into said slits, the side wall is tightly and firmly secured in position to the bottom board and is difficult to be loosen or disjointed.

The aforementioned means can still be applied to form a cover as well as a case-body, by choosing a side-board with both its length and width slightly larger than the side board employed hereinbefore, insomuch that the height and the size of the cover may be slightly larger than that of the case body to allow the latter be easily put into the former.

Since the aforesaid cover has relatively tall side board, the way to couple two elements to build up a closed "inclosing wall " also differs. As shown in Fig. 3, cover-sideboard (7) is provided with a plurality of equi-distant inserting legs (2) on one of its two long sides, and coupling means on both of its ends, namely slant slits (8), the negative coupling mean, and inserters (9), the positive coupling mean. In coupling, said inserter (9) are inserted into corresponding slant slits (8).

In order to secure them in place, each inserter (9) is provided with a notch (10), in so doing, when the inserters are pushed into the slant slit, the upper edge of the slit will cut into the notch so that the inserter can no longer be pull out directly thus strengthen the joint.

The foregoing slant coupling means is characterised by that the inclosing-wall built up in this way has relatively smooth curvature, and no unslightly, abrupt unsmoothness or folding is formed in the joining portion.

Another modification according to this invention is shown in Fig. 4, in which the inserting-legs of the side board seen in Fig. 3 is cancelled, and one margin of the long sides of the side-board is curled into a bamboo-like flange (11) extending bamboo through the whole length, thereof, below which is a groove (12) running lengthwise along said flange, both together construct the characteristic feature of the legless side-board (13). To allow the flanged-andgrooved side-board be bent easily and shaped into desired form, the flange is further treated to form a number of equi-distant "scores" (14), to adapt to various kinds of lid boards such as round, elliptical, square, or rectangular ones, and so forth.As a matter of fact, when the flanged side-board is bent to form an enclosing wall for use, e.g. a circular ring as shown in Fig. 5, the length outer margin of flange (11) is almost equal to that of the inner margin. Suppose the radius of the circle defined by the outer margin be R, and the width of flange (1 1 ) be dr, then the length of the outer margin is 2 rr R, and that of the inner margin, 2 rr (R-dr); therefore the difference between the length of the outer and the inner margin is 27r dr. Since dr is far smaller than R, the difference in length thereof is negligible, in other words the length of both inner and outer margin of flange (1 1 ) before and after being bent into can be regarded as the same.

Accordingly, it is apprehensible that such kind of side-board can be conveniently and satisfactorily bent and shaped without any hazard of deforming the flange since such trivial change in length is by no means sufficient to cause any deformation thereof, even if it has not been provided with the scores that forms a segmental structure to enhance its flexibility, and facilitate the users to bend it into desired shapes. In case polygonal or angulated geometrical forms which possess corners are desired instead of smooth arcuated ones, the scores provides surprising satisfactory results.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are respectively the embodiment of this invention applying the aforesaid legless side-board to form the preferred covers, one of which is round, and the other is rectangular, both have their lid-board (15) and side-board groove-jointed together by driving the edge of lid board (15) into the groove (12) of corresponding side-board respectively (see Fig. 5).

All the above-mentioned case-side-board (1), cover-side-board (7), the legless side-board (13) may vary, depending on the preferred results, and purpose. A single legless side-board can be applied to various kinds of legless side-board can be applied to various kinds of lid-board or bottomboard: round, elliptical, square, rectangular, hexagonal ... , so far as the perimeter of such geometrical figures coincide with its length.

Similarly, the joining means of case-side-board (1) can also be applied to whatever bottom board with a perimeter equivalent to the length of said case side-board (1), and provided with equal number of equidistant slits corresponding to the inserting thereof. Fig. 7 is a preferred embodiment applying such a case side-board (1) to heartshaped base-board (17).

All the rules applied to case sideboard (1) is properly applied to- cover side-board (7) as well.

When the "enclosing wall" of either the case body or the over is formed by two like elements coupled together, and suppose the two elements have five and six inserting legs respectively, each of which is evenly spaced one inch apart from each other, then a lid-board with eleven slits equidistantly arranged around the periphery thereof must be chosen, together to form a box of 11 inch specification. Likewise, when both of the two elements has four legs, then an box of 8 inch specification can be obtained. Other cases can be deduced by analogy, The lid-board and the bottomboard according to the present invention are preferably made of relatively hard corrugated board, and are found to give satisfactory results, since the hardness is higher than the ordinary cardboard boxes seen on the market, and the leg-and-groove joint means provides a strong and sturdy construction with a firmness three times as much as the general paste sealed boxes.

In conclusion, the most distinguishable feature of the present invention consists by far in that side readily joining means may adapt to the change of preferred size and shapes. Whatever boxes, round, elliptical, rectangular, square, heart-shaped, or plum-flower-shaped, can be readily formed by choosing appropriate elements with desired size to put together. Consequently, the present invention has completely obviated the defects of conventional cardboard boxes. The users of this invention, say grocers, department storekeepers, or manufactures etc., have the advantage that they no longer need to prepared so may kinds of boxes differing in size and shapes as before, since a lid-board, and same rule is applied to cover-sideboard.Moreover, single lie(or bottom)-board is adaptive to any over (or case)-side-boards with fitting joining device and correct length whatever its height may be, similary, a single side wall is also appiicable to various kind of lid-boards or bottom-boards so far as their joining devices agree. Considering all the above-mentioned, the present invention is indeed to provide one kind of highly novel, practical and inexpensive device. Its economical constribution to the society and the country is inestimable.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in connection with a few selected examplary embodiments, it will be understood that these are merely illustrative of the invention, and are by no means restrictive thereof, since the use of this invention is practically unlimited. It is reasonable to be assumed that those skilled in this art can make numerous revision and adaptations of this invention, and whatever revision and adaptations without departures from the specific inventive concepts of the present invention will be included within the scope of the following claims as equivalents of this invention.

The embodiments of the invention is which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed and defined as follow:

Claims (8)

CLAIMS 1. One kind of take-down cardboard boxes comprising such elements as lid-board, coverside-board, case-side-board, and bottom board, characterised in that the case body part of the box according to the present invention is formed by inserting the inserting-legs on one side of said case-side-board into the corresponding slits on the bottom-board, while the cover part of the box, formed by similar means as the case body to join said lid-board and cover-side-board together. All the side elements can be flattened and piled when disassembled as well as they can be readily assembled for use. The "inclosing wall" of the or the case body, can be formed by one or more sideboard elements engaged together in a head-to-tail manner. 2. The take-down cardboard boxes according to Claim 1 characterised by that either/both of said cover/case body of the boxes can be formed by legless cover/case side-board and slitless lid/bottom board instead of the slit-and-leg joint means as in claim 1. 3. The take-down cardboard box according to Claim 2, in which either/both of the legless cover/case side-board has/have one of its/their side corresponding to the legged-side of the legged side-board as in Claim 1 is curled into a flange through its/theirs full length, and is/are provided with one groove below and to said flange extending throughout the whole length thereof. Said flange is provided with a plurality of scores at definite intervals, to facilitate the side-board to be bent. Either/both of the cover/case body is/are formed by driving said slitless lid/bottom-board into the "enclosed wall" formed by said cover/case-side-board, with the edge of said lid/bottom board groove-jointed to the groove of said cover/case-side-board. 4. The cardboard box according to any of Claim 1, 2, 3, in which the coupling means to put one or more side-board-elements together to form a "inclosing wall" includes inserter(s) and slant groove(s) located on opposite end of a side-board element. Said inserter is provided with a notch so positioned that when the inserter is pushed into said slant groove, the notch is cut into by the edge of the slant groove. The side-boards (including both cover-sideboard and case-side-board) according to Claim 1, in which the coupling device to form a "inclosing wall" comprises a downward inserter and a horizontal slit characterised in that the length of said slit is slightly larger than the width of the inserter to leave an allowance for the slight error of the length between the side-board and that is required to match the corresponding lid-board or bottom-board accurately. 6. Take-down cardboard boxes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings. New claims or amendments to claims filed on 11-12-80. Superseded claims 1-6. New or amended claims:

1. A take-down box fabricated by flexible materials, comprising: a lid-board; an elongate side-board, cooperating with said lid-board, to build up the cover of the box; a bottom-board; an elongate side-board; cooperating with said bottom-board to construct the remainder part of the box; each of said side-boards having one of its end,shaped to define a plurality of male engaging means, and the other end shaped to define the same number of female engaging means in due position so that each of the male engaging means may fit into a corresponding female means to interlock the side-board in an end-to-end manner to form a close belt; the male and female engaging means being positioned in a manner that they are not in alignment perpendicular to the long sides of the side-board; each of said side-boards being provided with means which' is so structured and positioned that when it is self-interlocked in an end-to-end manner as described hereinbefore, the resulting structure can well fit said lid board or said cover board.

2. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein said male and female engaging means are obliquely aligned with respect to the long sides of said boards.

3. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein said male engaging means are lugs, and said female engaging means are slits.

4. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein said means of the elongate side-board to engage with said lid board is a curled edge which extends along one of the long side of the sideboard and which is provided with a plurality of scores spaced along its length, and a groove which abuts against said flange and runs along the whole length thereof, the width of the groove being just enough to allow the edge of said lidboard to fit into to be elastically held therein, to construct the cdver.

5. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein said elongate side-board is engaged with said bottom-board in the similar way as is the cover described in Claim 4, if the bottom board is not slitted.

6. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein said elongate side-board is provided with a plurality of lugs which are so shaped and positioned that when said side-board is selfinterlocked in an end-to-end manner, the lugs may fit into corresponding slits on said bottom-board, if the bottom-board is slitted.

7. The take-down box according to Claim 1, wherein the engaging means of each side board, after engaged together, allows the perimeter of the resultant loop to vary within a small range to leave an allowance for the slight inconsistenceof the side board and the corresponding bottom af lid board-to be fitted thereto.

8. Take down cardboard boxes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.