GB2076367A - A box or tray made from a folded blank - Google Patents

Abstract

A box or tray has a base (2) and side walls (4, 6) connected to the base along fold lines (8). The width of the base (2) measured between the fold lines (8), is greater midway along the base (2) that it is at the ends of the base (2) so that the central region of each side edge of the base is at a higher level than the end regions of the side edge when erected. This enables moisture in the box or tray to drain away, for example through holes (30), so avoiding saturation of the material of the box or tray. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A box or tray made from a folded blank This invention relates to a box or tray made from a folded blank of stiff material.

According to the present invention there is provided a box or tray made from a folded blank of stiff material, the box or tray comprising a base and two side walls which are folded upwardly from the base along respective fold lines at opposite side edges of the base, the width of the base, measured between the fold lines, being greater at a position midway along the base than it is at the ends of the base, whereby, when the box or tray is upright, the central region of each side edge is held by the respective side wall at a higher level than the ends of that side edge.

In a preferred construction, the box or tray has end walls, each of which comprises two interlocking flaps which are hinged to the ends of the side walls.

The base may be creased centrally so that the base can be folded to allow the box or tray to be collapsed to a substantially flat condition for transport or storage. With this construction, it is desirable for stabilizing flaps to be hinged to the end edges of the base, these stabilizing flaps lying parallel to the end walls when the box or tray is erected, and lying parallel to the base when the box or tray is collapsed.

The central creasing of the base preferably comprise two creases disposed one on each side of the centreline of the base, to accommodate the stabilizing flaps when the base is folded.

Stacking flanges are preferably hinged to the top edges of the side walls and connected by gusset panels to the flaps of the end walls. Preferably, these stacking flanges are arranged to be movable between two positions. In one position, the flanges lie parallel to the base, so as to cover completely or partially the opening at the top of the box or tray. In the other position, the stacking flanges lie parallel to the side walls, to allow access to the box or tray.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a blank; Figure 2 shows one stage during the erection of the blank to form a bottle crate; Figure 3 shows a second stage during the erection of the blank; Figure 4 shows the fully erected blank; Figure 5 shows the bottle crate of Figure 4 in its collapsed condition; Figures 6a and Sb illustrate the elevation of a stacking flange to retain a bottle in the crate; and Figure 7 illustrates the use of the stacking flange to retain an anchor pad in the crate.

The blank shown in Figure 1 is made from a rigid creasable and foldable material such as waximpregnated corrugated fibre board.

The blank comprises a base panel 2 and two side panels 4 and 6, which are hinged to side edges of the base panel 2 at fold lines 8. End flaps 10 are hinged to the side walls 4 and 6, and each of the end flaps 10 carries a hinged tab 12. Stabilizing flaps 14 are hinged to the end edges of the base panel 2. Each stabilizing flap 14 has two lugs 16 which are destined to cooperate with apertures 18 in the side panels 4 and 6. Two creases 20 extend centrally through the base panel 2, one on each side of the centreline and these creases are continued at each end through the stabilizing flaps 14.

A stacking flange 22 is hinged by a double crease 24 to the edge of each of the side panels 4 and 6 away from the fold line 8. At each end, each stacking flange 22 is connected to the adjacent end flap 10 by gusset panels 26 and 28. Holes 30 are provided at the four corners and in the middle of each end edge of the base panel 2, and further holes 32 are provided where the side wall panels 4 and 6 meet the end flaps 10, the stacking flanges 22 and the gusset panels 26 and 28.

It will be observed that the fold lines 8 are not straight, but have the effect of making the width of the base panel 2 greater in the central region of the base panel 2 than it is at the ends. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, each fold line 8 comprises two straight portions which are inclined to one another by an obtuse angle. However, the same effect can be achieved with other forms for the fold line 8, for example they could each comprise a continuous curve.

Similarly, it will be observed that the two creases 20 diverge from one another in a direction away from the middle of the base panel 2.

The blank shown in Figure 1 is erected to form a crate as follows.

The retaining flaps 22 are folded through 180"C about the double crease 24 to lie flat against the respective side panels 4 and 6. This causes the gusset panels 26 and 28 to lie flat against the adjacent end panels 10, and each panel 26 is stitched to the adjacent end panel 10. The side panels 4 and 6 are then folded upwardly from the base about the fold line 8 to form the side walls of the crate. It will be appreciated that, because the fold lines 8 are not straight, the upwards folding of the side panels will cause the initially flat base panel 2 to be distorted, the central part of each side edge of the base panel 2 being deflected upwardly above the level of the ends of the base panel 2.

The stabilizing flaps 14 are also folded upwardly, and the end flaps 10 at each end of the base are folded inwardly towards one another, around the stabilizing flap 14, and the tabs 12 are interlocked.

Each tab 12 is then stitched to the opposite end flap 10.

Figure 2 shows the partially erected blank at the stage where one end has been fully assembled and stitched, while the end flaps 10 at the other end are being folded around the raised stabilizing flap 14.

Figure 3 illustrates the final stage of erection of the blank. The stabilizing flap 14 has been folded down to lie against the base panel 2, which is buckled downwards to allow the tabs 12 of the end flaps 10 to engage one another. The top and bottom edges of the end flaps 10 are brought into line, and the tabs 12 of each end flap are stitched to the other end flap.

The stabilizing flaps 14 are then hinged upwardly again to lie against the end walls constituted by the interconnected end flaps 10, and the lugs 16 are fitted in the apertures 18 to hold these stabilizing flaps in position. Figure 4 shows the fully erected carton, with the stacking flanges 22 hinged upwardly to lie parallel to the base panel 2. This position for the stacking flanges 22 is shown in Figure 4 by way of illustration; theflanges 22 would normally be kept folded against the side walls 4 and 6 until the crate has been loaded.

Figures 2 to 4 show clearly that the fold line 8 between the bottom edge of the side wall 6 and one side edge of the base 2 is not straight, but rises from each end towards the middle of the base 2. Thus the central region of the side edge of the base panel 2 is raised above the level of the ends of the base panel 2. This difference in level is apparent from Figure 4, where the dot-dash line 34 represents the level of the ends of the base panel 2.

This feature is important because it causes any liquid which may accumulate in the crate to flow to the holes 30 through which it can drain out of the crate. If such liquid were allowed to remain in the crate, it could saturate the material of the crate and seriously weaken it. Thus the improved draining quaiities of the crate described mean that even where wet goods are placed in the crate, or where for example a filled bottle in the crate breaks, the resulting liquid will be able to drain readily from the crate without seriously weakening its structure. The holes 30 also facilitate the folding of the material without splitting or cracking.

It will be appreciated from Figure 4, and from the shapes of the side panels 4 and 6 in Figure 1, that the crate is tapered slightly from the base upwards. This causes the crate to fit snugly around bottles loaded into it, while permitting semi-automatic bottle insertion. Although not shown clearly in the Figures, the end walls may also be tapered.

Figure 5 shows the crate in a collapsed condition, suitable for storage or transport. This is the condition in which the crate would normally be delivered to the customer. To achieve this collapsed condition from the fully-erected crate of Figure 4, the stacking flanges 22 are returned to their positions in which they lie against the side walls 4 and 6, the stabilizing flaps 14 are folded down to lie against the base 2, after disengaging the lugs 16 from the apertures 18, and the end flaps 10 and the base panel 2 are folded outwardiy of the crate, the side walls 4 and 6 being pressed towards one another. The base panel 2 is folded about the double crease 20 through approximately 1800, the stabilizing flaps 14 being accommodated within this angle.The distance between the two creases 20 is selected so that the folded stabilizing flaps 14 can be accommodated between the two portions of the base panel 2 without stretching or cracking the rigid material of the base panel 2. Because the stabilizing flaps 14 do not extend up to the middle of the base panel 2, it is sufficient for the spacing between the creases 20 to be sufficiently large only in the end regions of the base panel 2. To re-erectthe crate, the reverse procedure is followed.

Figure 6 demonstrates how the stacking flange 22 is raised after a bottle has been placed in the crate.

Figure 6a shows a bottle 36 placed in the crate with the stacking flange 22 folded down to lie against the side wall 4. When the bottle is in position, the stacking flange 22 is raised as indicated by the arrow A and is flipped past the neck of the bottle 36 until it is in the position shown in Figure 6b. The stacking flanges 22 then provide a stable base for another crate, even where two crates stacked one on top of the other are angularly misaligned.

The bottles in the crate may be held apart from one another, as shown in Figure 7, by an anchor pad 38 which has holes through which the necks of the bottles project. This pad 38 is placed over all of the bottles in the crate, and is retained underthe edge of the stacking flange 22, while this flange is positioned against the side wall 4. Alternatively the bottles may be held apart by conventional dividers.

Claims (1)

1. A box or tray made from a folded blank of stiff material, the box or tray comprising a base and two side walls which are folded upwardly from the base along respective fold lines at opposite side edges of the base, the width of the base, measured between the fold lines, being greater at a position midway along the base when it is at the ends of the base, whereby, when the box or tray is upright, the central region of each side edge is held by the respective side wall at a higher level than the end regions of the side edge.

2. A box ortray as claimed in claim 1, in which the fold lines at the opposite side edges of the base each comprise two straight portions which meet at an obtuse angle.

3. A box or tray as claimed in claim 1, in which the fold lines at the opposite side edges of the base each comprise a continuous curve.

4. A box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which holes are provided at the ends of the side edges of the base.

5. A box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which end walls are provided.

6. A box or tray as claimed in claim 5, in which each end wall comprises two interconnected flaps, hinged to the respective side walls.

7. A box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which can be collapsed to a substantially flat condition.

8. A box or tray as claimed in claim 7, in which the base is creased centrally to enable the box or tray to be collapsed.

9. A box or tray as claimed in claim 8, when appendantto claim 5, in which the end walls are creased centrally to enable the box or tray to be collapsed.

10. A box or tray as claimed in claim 9, in which stabilizing flaps are hinged to the end edges of the base, these flaps being movable between a first position, in which they bear against the end walls, and a second position, in which they bear against the base.

11. A box or tray as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, in which the central creasing of the base comprises two creases disposed symmetrically one on each side of the centreline of the base.

12. A box or tray as claimed in claim 11, in which the two creases diverge from each other in the direction from the centre of the base towards the end edges of the base.

13. A box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which stacking flanges are provided at the upper edges of the side walls.

14. A box or tray as claimed in claim 13, in which the stacking flanges are movable between a first position, in which they are substantially parallel to the base, and a second position, in which they are substantially parallel to the side walls.

15. A box or tray substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A blank for making a box or tray in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 23-2-81 Superseded claims: claims 1 and 4to 16.

New or amended claims:- Claims 5 to 16 to be renumbered as 4-15 with appropriate correction of the references to preceding claims.

1. A box ortray made from a folded blank of stiff material, the box or tray comprising a base and two side walls which are folded upwardly from the base along respective fold lines at opposite side edges of the base, the width of the base, measured between the fold lines, being greater at a position midway along the base then it is at the ends of the base, whereby, when the box or tray is upright, the central region of each side edge is held by the respective side wall art a higher level than the end regions of the side edge, holes being provided at the ends of the side edges of the base whereby the configuration of the base causes fluid in the box or tray to flow out through the holes.