GB2116949A

GB2116949A - Display containers

Info

Publication number: GB2116949A
Application number: GB08306374A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Mountford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-03-13
Filing date: 1983-03-08
Publication date: 1983-10-05
Also published as: GB8306374D0; GB2116949B

Abstract

A display box is formed from a one piece cardboard blank and, when erected, has a box (34) and integral leaves (36, 40) which may define covers for pages of a book or may bear printed information. The box (34) may be decorated to simulate the outer cover of a book. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display box apparatus This invention is concerned with apparatus which can provide both a container and means for displaying or presenting material. This apparatus will be hereinafter referred to as "apparatus of the type aforesaid".

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus of the type aforesaid, said apparatus comprising an openable container part formed integrally with a hinged part defining at least one leaf on which material can be displayed or presented.

Preferably the hinged part defines at least one cover for, and adapted to retain, a plurality of sheets on which material can be printed. The container part may be decorated such that, in one condition, the apparatus simulates a book.

Preferably also the face of the container part adjacent to the hinged part has an opening through which contents of the container part can be viewed.

The present invention also provides a material blank comprising at least five sections defined by parallel fold lines, whereby four of the sections are foldable into a container part with means being provided for closing of the ends of the container part, the other of the sections being adapted to define at least one leaf on which material can be displayed or presented.

Preferably the other of the sections is adapted to retain a plurality of sheets on which material can be printed such that said other section can be folded towards the container part with the sheets located between the other section and the container part, said four sections being decorated such that the blank when erected as a whole in one condition can simulate a book.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a blank according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an apparatus erected from the blank of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a further embodi mentofan erected apparatus.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a cardboard blank 10 comprises a plurality of integrally formed sections defined by parallel fold lines. A first section 12, for example of square configuration, has an integral flap 14 on each of a pair of opposed edges adjacent to the edge to which an adjacent section 16 is connected. Each of the flaps 14 has a pair of portions defined by a fold line 18 extending parallel to the respective edge. On the edge opposite the section 16, the section 12 has an integral locking flap 20.

The section 16 is of considerably less width than the section 12 and has an integral closure flap 22 on each of the opposed edges adjacent to the edge connecting with the section 12. The sections 12 and 16 are defined by a fold line 24 therebetween. At the side opposite the fold line 24, the section 16 has a parallel fold line 26 defining a third section 28 which is of the same configuration as the section 12 but has no flaps 14. A fourth section 32 of the same configuration as section 16 and having a flap 22 on its opposed edges adjacent to fold line 30, is integrally formed on the edge of the section 28 opposite the fold line 26 and is defined by a parallel fold line 30.

When this part of the blank is folded about the fold lines 24, 26,30, the flap 20 can then be inwardly turned and glued or otherwise fixed to the section 32 thereby to form a container or box 34, the open ends of which can be closed by folding of the flaps 18 and 22 in a conventional manner.

The section 32, at the edge opposite the fold line 30, has a further section 36 integrally formed therewith and defined by a fold line 38. The section 36 has the same configuration as the sections 12 and 28 and, at its edge opposite the fold line 38, is integrally connected to a further section 40 of the same configuration via a spine 42. The latter is adapted to retain a plurality of sheets or pages in any suitable material such as to form, for example, a story book where the sections 36 and 40 define the covers of the book. On the outer face of the spine 42 there is formed a locking tab 44 and a complementary slot 46 is formed along part of the fold line defined between the section 12 and its flap 20.When the cover 40 is folded upon the cover 36 the book so formed can be folded onto the container or box 34 and the tab 44 inserted in the slot 46 whereby to retain the book in a closed condition.

There is thus formed an attractive product which can combine the functions of a box and a book and which can be formed in a single operation, for example by stamping out a cardboard blank, forming the creases or fold lines, and then folding the blank to an erected condition. It is preferred that the box part 34 can be decorated to simulate a book, for example by having the outer face of the section 28 simulating an outer cover of the book and the outer face of the section 16 and the flaps 18 being formed with a simulation of pages of a book.

In a modification, the cover 40 may be formed on either of the opposed edges of the cover 36 adjacent the fold line 38, and the covers may be formed to be rigid whereby the cover 40 can be folded more than 180 so as to provide an "easel" effect. It is envisaged that the book part may contain information relevant to, for example, a gift which may be contained in the box part. Where for example the gift is a doll, a viewing opening may be formed in the section 12 so that the doll can be seen when the book part is opened and the pages of the book part may relate a story concerning the doll. It will of course be appreciated that there is virtually no limit to the type of product and type of story that may be utilised.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the sheets or pages of the book may be arranged to be retained in a spine formed between the cover 36 and the box part with no outer cover 40 being provided.

Also the means for retaining the book part closed on the box part may be varied from that shown.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, wherein like references denote like parts in the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2, a combined card and box apparatus can have articles, for example gifts such as handkerchiefs, located in the box 34 to be visible through an opening 48 in a side face defined by the section 12.

The section 36 provides a leaf or flap which can be folded over the section 12 and can be printed, possibly with printing also on the section 12 of the box, such that a greetings card or the like is formed integrally with the box 34.

An attractive product can thus be formed in a single operation and the gift within the box can be related to any particular type of greetings card. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, for example a further leaf may be formed on the edge of the first mentioned leaf opposite the box 10 such that the greetings card can present further areas for printing greetings or decoration. Also the display opening in the box may be on the side face thereofremote from the card and further greetings or decorations may be provided on the box face adjacent to the card. If desired a tab or the like may be provided on the leaf so that the latter can be releasably secured to the box.

In a further modification, the fold line 38 may be provided with perforations whereby the hinged part may be detached from the box part.

Claims

1. Apparatus of the type aforesaid, said apparatus comprising an openable container part formed integrally with a hinged part defining at least one leaf on which material can be displayed or presented.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hinged part defines at least one cover for, and adapted to retain, a plurality of sheets on which material can be printed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the container part is decorated such that, in one condition, the apparatus simulates a book.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the hinged part defines two covers having a spine therebetween to which the sheets are attached.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a first of the covers is connected to the container part along one side edge thereof, and the second of the covers is hinged to the first along the opposed side edge of the latter.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hinged part has a first of the covers connected to the container part along one side edge thereof and the second of the covers hinged to the first along an adjacent side edge of the latter.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hinged part has a protruding tab engageable in a complementary slot in the container part so as to retain the hinged part closed on the container part.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the face of the container part adjacent to the hinged part has an opening through which contents of the container part can be viewed.

9. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the container part and the hinged part are connected by a perforated section, whereby the hinged part can be detached from the container part.

10. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, the apparatus being formed from a material blank.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the material is cardboard.

12. A material blank comprising at leastfive sections defined by parallel fold lines, whereby four of the sections are foldable into a container part with means being provided for closing of the ends of the container part, the other of the sections being adapted to define at least one leaf on which material can be displayed or presented.

13. A blank according to claim 12, wherein the other of the sections is adapted to retain a plurality of sheets on which material can be printed such that said other section can be folded towards the container part with the sheets located between the other section and the container part, said four sections being decorated such that the blank when erected as a whole in one condition can simulate a book.

14. A blank according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a further section is provided, being defined by a further parallel fold line.

15. Apparatus ofthetype aforesaid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A material blank, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.