GB2137170A

GB2137170A - A Box or Tray made from a Folded Blank

Info

Publication number: GB2137170A
Application number: GB08308617A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Charles John Snow
Original assignee: ST REGIS PACKAGING
Current assignee: ST REGIS PACKAGING
Priority date: 1983-03-29
Filing date: 1983-03-29
Publication date: 1984-10-03
Also published as: GB8308617D0

Abstract

A collapsible box has stacking flanges (12) on its end walls (10). The stacking flanges (12) are continuations of reinforcing panels (21, 22) which are folded flat against the outer faces of side walls (6) of the box to provide rigidity. The end walls (10) are made up of two interlocking panels which are hinged to the respective side walls (6) and stabilizing flaps (14) hinged to the ends of a base panel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Box or Tray Made From a Folded Blank This invention reiates to a box or tray made from a folded blank or 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, two side walls extending upwardly from the base at opposite side edges of the base and two end walls extending upwardly from the base at opposite end edges of the base, the basebeing creased in the direction between the end walls to enable the erected box to be collapsed substantially flat, and the end walls being provided at their top edges with stacking flanges which, when the box is erected, extend substantially parallel to the base.

The present invention also provides a blank for erection into a box or tray as defined above.

In a preferred construction, each of the end walls comprises two interlocking flaps which are hinged to the ends of the side walls. The central creasing of the base enables the box or tray to be collapsed to a substantially flat condition for transport or storage. It is desirable for stabilizing flaps to be hinged to the end edges of the base, these stabilizing flaps laying 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 comprises two creases disposed one on each side of the centre-line of the base, to accommodate the stabilizing flaps when the base is folded.

The top edge of each side wall may be provided with a reinforcing panel comprising two strips which are doubled over each other and stitched to the side wall, thus providing three thicknesses of material at this region. This improves the rigidity of the side walls. The stacking flanges may comprise continuations of the reinforcing panels.

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 box; Figure 3 shows the fully erected box; Figure 4 shows a detail of the box of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 4; and Figure 6 shows the box of Figure 3 in its collapsed condition; The blank shown in Figure 1 is made from a rigid creasable and foldable material such as wax impregnated corrugated fibre board. In Figure 1, dashed lines referenced "C" indicate creases formed in the visible surface of the blank, while dashed lines referenced "P" indicate perforations extending through the blank. Solid lines indicate cuts.

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 panels 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 1 6 which are destined to cooperate with apertures 1 8 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 as a single crease 1 9 extending through each stabilizing flap 14.

A reinforcing panel comprising inner and outer strips 21 and 22 is hinged by a crease 24 to the edge of each of the side panels 4 and 6 away from the fold line 8. The inner and outer strips 21 and 22 are separated from each other by a crease 25. At each end, each reinforcing panel 21, 22 meets a stacking flange portion 26 hinged to the adjacent end flap 10.

The blank shown in Figure 1 is erected to form a box as follows. The side panels 4 and 6 are folded upwardly from the base about the fold lines 8 to form the side walls of the box. The stabilizing flaps 14 are also folded upwardly, the end flaps 10 at each end of the base are folded inwardly towards one another, around the stabilizing flap 14, and each tab 12 is stitched to the opposite end flap 10 to provide the end walls of the box. Next, the stacking flange portions at each end, which together form a continuous stacking flange at the top of the end wall, are folded inwardly to lie parallel to the base panel 2. This causes the reinforcing panel 21, 22 to deflect outwardly of the box, as shown in Figure 2.Finally, the outer strip 22 of each reinforcing panel is folded through 1800 about the crease 25 to lie underneath the inner strip 21, and the two strips are then folded together about the crease 24 against the side wall 4 or 6 where they are stitched, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, to produce the erected box of Figure 3.

It will be appreciated from Figure 3 that the erected box, though collapsible if required, is robust and rigid. The reinforcing panel 21,22 imparts rigidity to the side walls, preventing them from bowing outwardly, and the stacking flanges 26 provide a stable base for receiving another box placed on top of it.

It will be noted that, in the illustrated box, the reinforcing panel 21,22 is divided by a cut 30.

This is not an essential feature of the box, and may be dispensed with.

Figure 6 shows the box in a collapsed condition, suitable for storage or transport. This is the condition in which the box would normally be delivered to the customer. To achieve this collapsed condition from the fully-erected crate of Figure 3, the stabilizing flaps 14 are folded down to lie against the base 2, after disengaging the lugs 1 6 from the apertures 18, and the end flaps 10 are pushed inwardly and the base panel 2 pushed outwardly 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 stacking flanges 26 turn into the planes of the end walls 10. To re-erect the crate, the reverse procedure is followed.

Claims

1. A box or tray made from a folded blank of stiff material, and comprising a base, two side walls extending upwardly from the base at opposite side edges of the base and two end walls extending upwardly from the base at opposite end edges of the base, the base being creased in the direction between the end walls to enable the erected box to be collapsed substantially flat, and the end walls being provided at their top edges with stacking flanges which, when the box is erected, extend substantially parallel to the base.

2. A box or tray as claimed in claim 1, in which each end wall comprises two interlocking flaps which are hinged to the respective side walls.

3. A box or tray as claimed in claim 2, in which each side wall is provided at its top edge with a reinforcing panel.

4. A box or tray as claimed in claim 3, in which the reinforcing panel comprises two strips which extend parallel to the top edge of the side wall and are folded into face-to-face contact with each other and against the side wall to provide three thicknesses of material at the top of the side wall, the strips being secured to the side wall.

5. A box or tray as claimed in claim 4, in which each stacking flange comprises a stacking flange portion hinged to each flap of the respective end wall, each stacking flange portion comprising an extension of the respective strips constituting the reinforcing panel.

6. A box or tray as claimed in claim 5, in which each reinforcing panel is secured to the outer face of the respective side wall to place the stacking flanges in tension when the box or tray is erected.

7. A box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each stacking flange comprises a central portion and two end portions which meet the respective side walls, the central portion being narrower than the end portions.

8. A box or tray substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

9. A blank for erection into a box or tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.