GB2118145A

GB2118145A - Mailing box

Info

Publication number: GB2118145A
Application number: GB08307964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jurgen Rosenkranz; Hermann Schneider; Hans-Peter Kamp
Original assignee: PERIPLAST GmbH
Current assignee: PERIPLAST GmbH
Priority date: 1982-04-07
Filing date: 1983-03-23
Publication date: 1983-10-26
Also published as: CH660346A5; GB2118145B; GB8307964D0; DE8209998U1

Abstract

A small mailing box comprises two tray-like base and cover parts (1, 2) held together by a non-detachable and only difficultly breakable tamper- indicating snap connection (4, 5) which advantageously consists of a receiving slot (4) fixedly connected with one part (e.g. 1) and an arrow- shaped tongue (5) fixedly connected with the other part (e.g. 2) and snappable in barbed-hook fashion behind the receiving slot (4). The base (1) and cover (2) may consist of identically formed plastics moulded parts having the receiving slot (4) in one of the shorter side walls (1') and the arrow-shaped tongue (5) provided in the other of the shorter side walls (1''). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mailing box The invention relates to a small mailing box comprising at least two parts to be connected to one another, particularly tray-like base and cover parts.

Known mailing boxes or cartons of the above kind generally require a separate paper wrapping or packaging, for normal despatch in the post, and usually also a corresponding binding, which is all correspondingly expensive and time-consuming.

Moreover, known mailing cartons, insofar as they are not glued, sealed or tagged with lead seals, can be opened relatively easily, so that their contents can be stolen, damaged or exchanged by unauthorised persons.

In contrast, the invention is based upon the purpose of providing a small mailing box which affords both reliable and trouble-free packaging of valuable articles and, as a disposable article, also ensures that the goods despatched reach the recipient satisfactorily or indicate to him that the mailing box has been forced open by unauthorised persons in transit and the goods despatched have possibly been tampered with.

This purpose is solved, in accordance with the invention, in that the parts of the box are held together by a non-detachable and only difficulty breakable snap connection. Such a snap connection advantageously consists of a receiving slot rigidly connected to one part of the box and an arrow-shaped tongue rigidly connected to the other part of the box and snapping in barbed hook fashion behind the receiving slot. In this way, a mailing box is provided having base and cover parts which only need to be pushed together, after inserting the articles to be despatched, in order to be in a state ready for despatch. Since the snap connection is non-detachable, any undesired opening of the box by unauthorised persons is excluded. However, the recipient can tell immediately whether the box and thus the goods packaged in it are still in a satisfactory condition.Both sender and recipient are thus able to determine whether the goods despatched have reached the recipient in the original manufactured and packaged state. This is of considerable importance particularly for mailed articles of value, such as watches, electronic goods and optical or medical articles.

According to a further feature of the invention, the base and cover parts of the mailing box are made externally smooth-walied and are provided internally with guide grooves, in addition to the snap connection parts, which project beyond the side walls of the base or cover part respectively and alternately interengage with one another.

Both the external smooth walls of the box and also the internal guide grooves serve to increase the possibilities of use, since the guide tongues substantially increase the stability of the box, particularly around its circumferential closure plane.

It is particularly advantageous if the base and cover parts of the box consist of identically shaped plastics moulded parts, each having the receiving slot arranged on one of the shorter side walls and the arrow-shaped tongue on the other of the shorter side walls. Identical construction of the two parts of the box yields considerable savings in tooling costs and storage. The nondetachable snap connections provided on the two shorter side walls ensure a fully satisfactory intergration of the two identical box halves.

Finally, the invention also contemplates that, in the shorter side walls of the box, a release aperture is provided near the edge, which together with a similar release aperture present in the other part of the box, forms a receiving slot.

Such a receiving slot, which is preferably located in the vicinity of the non-detachable snap connections, simplifies authorized opening of the box by the recipient, since the latter merely needs to insert a screwdriver or knife into the slot and slightly rotate such tool in order to break the snap connection and open the box. Furthermore, the receiving slots can also serve to receive delivery or payment forms, brochures or other information about the articles.

In the drawing, an advantageous embodiment of a mailing box constructed according to the invention is shown diagrammatically. In these drawings: Fig. 1 shows the box in the closed state ready for despatch; Fig. 2 shows the base and cover parts before closure of the box, on an enlarged scaie, and Fig. 3 shows a section through one of the nondetachable snap connections, on a further enlarged scale.

The small mailing box illustrated consists of two completely identical plastics moulded parts, namely the base part 1 and the cover part 2. Both of these parts are formed of tray-like shape. In one of their shorter side walls 1', they have a horizontal inwardly-directed supporting projection 3 with a rectangular receiving slot 4, whereas on their other shorter side walls 1", they are provided with an arrow-shaped tongue 5, which consists of a head part 5" provided with barb-like points 5'. Closely adjacent the receiving slot 4 or the arrow-shaped tongue 5, in the upper edges of the shorter side walls 1', 1", flat release apertures 6, 6' are provided, which together with the similar release apertures present in the other part of the box, form receiving slots 6" (Fig. 1).

Whereas the base and cover parts 1, 2 are made with smooth external walls, internally in addition to the snap-connection parts 4, 5, guide tongues 8 are provided, which project above the side walls 1', 1", 1"' and 1 Iv and partially alternately interengage in the combined state of the two box halves 1, 2. Advantageously, the guide tongues 8 are substantially the same in width as the spaces 9 provided between them.

This provides a very good stiffening of the box, particularly in the region of its circumferential closure plane 10.

The goods to be despatched are placed in one of the two box halves, e.g. in the base part 1, in conjunction with packaging material such as foam plastics material, if required. Then the cover part 2 identical to the base part 1 in all respects is then put into the position shown in Fig. 2 and pushed on to the base part 1. The arrow-shaped tongues 5 then pass through the receiving slots 4 and snap into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the barb points 5' engage in hook fashion behind the receiving slot 4 or the bar-like part of the projection 3. The box is then ready for despatch, as shown in Fig. 1, having a rectangular shape and dimensions suitable for posting. This box merely needs to be labelled and stamped in order to be able to travel through the post. If required, delivery or payment forms or like information details can be inserted through the slot 6". In general, the box can be provided on its opposite main external surfaces with suitably prepared writing and adhesive surfaces 11 for the address and stamps or the like. When the mailing box reaches the recipient, the latter immediately knows whether it and also the goods packaged in it have been received in a satisfactory state. By inserting for example a screwdriver into one or both of the receiving slots 6" and lightly tilting the blade of the screwdriver the recipient has no trouble in breaking the non-detachable snap connections 4, 5, in order to be able to remove the goods in the state in which they were made and packed and can then either dispose of the box as a single-use article or employ it for other storage purposes.

Claims

1. A mailing box comprising at least two interengageable parts, for instance tray-like base and cover parts, wherein the parts of the box, when closed, are held together by at least one nondetachable and only difficulty breakable snap connection.

2. A mailing box according to claim 1, wherein the snap connection consists of a receiving slot fixedly connected with one part and an arrowshaped tongue fixedly connected with the other part and snappable in barbed-hook fashion behind the receiving slot.

3. A mailing box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base and cover parts have upstanding side walls which abut at their top edges when the box is closed and are provided internally both with the snap connection parts and also with guide tongues, which project above the side walls and alternately interengage with one another when the box parts are fitted together.

4. A mailing box according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the base and cover parts are identical in shape and each part has the receiving slot on one shorter side wall and the arrow-shaped tongue on the other shorter side wall.

5. A mailing box according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the guide tongues have the same width as the spaces between them.

6. A mailing box according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein release apertures are provided at the edges of the shorter side walls of one box part which cooperate with similar release apertures provided in the other box part to form receiving slots.

7. A mailing box according to any preceding claim, which is rectangular in shape and has dimensions suitable for posting.

8. A mailing box according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.