GB2158416A

GB2158416A - Cardboard container

Info

Publication number: GB2158416A
Application number: GB08411966A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsu-Yu Lai
Original assignee: LAI TSU YU
Current assignee: LAI TSU YU
Priority date: 1984-05-11
Filing date: 1984-05-10
Publication date: 1985-11-13
Also published as: EP0160730A1; GB8411966D0; FR2564426A1

Description

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SPECIFICATION Cardboard container

5 This invention relates to a cardboard container, particularly a cardboard container of polygonal shape having a substantial height.

A paper container of polygonal shape,

which comprises a lid, a sleeve and a base 10 respectively formed from a paper blank is proposed in US Patent Specification No. 3,877,631. The lid consists of a polygonal main blank having side flaps along the periphery of the main blank, the side flaps being 1 5 interconnected side by side to form a continuous wall around the main blank. The sleeve is formed from an elongate paper blank which is folded into a polygonal closure. The base is formed from a paper blank which is folded 20 into a tray-like shape having a bottom plate and a wall closure on the bottom plate. To use the container an object to be contained is first placed on the base, then the sleeve is placed to enclose the object, and finally the 25 lid is placed on top of the sleeve.

In the aforesaid arrangement a separate bonding material such as an adhesive tape or the like is needed if one wishes to secure the lid onto the sleeve so as to simplify the 30 handling process. Furthermore, the formation of the side flaps of the lid requires an extra area of the paper blank from which the lid is fabricated, and the process for forming such side flaps is complicated.

35 In accordance with the present invention, a cardboard container comprises one or two lid members, each lid member having a main panel provided with a plurality of straight side edges and tabs extending from at least some 40 of the side edges in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main panel, each tab having at least one protrusion spaced from and extending along the side edge; and a sleeve member having flaps extending in-45 wards from one or both edges of the sleeve, the flaps having slots along the or each edge of the sleeve at positions corresponding with the tabs of the lid member or members, each slot having an enlarged portion and a rela-50 tively narrow portion, wherein when the or each lid member is assembled with the sleeve member the tabs are inserted into the slots of the flaps with the protrusions of the tabs engaging side edges of the narrow portions of 55 the slots underneath the flaps.

This invention provides a cardboard container comprising a lid member and sleeve which are secured together without the need of a separate bonding material.

60 Thus the cardboard container may comprise a lid member having a polygonal main panel with tabs extending perpendicularly from the side edges of the main panel and a sleeve having the same polygpnal shape with flaps 65 extending from and folded inwardly along the upper edge of the sleeve; each flap having a slot along the fold edge, and the lid being plaed on top of the sleeve, with each tab of the lid being inserted into each slot of the corresponding flap of the sleeve. Each tab is provided with protrusions extending along the side edge of the main panel of the lid so that the protrusions engage with the flaps from underneath to lock the tab with the flap.

In a preferred embodiment the slot of each flap has an enlarged central opening and relatively narrow end openings to facilitate the insertion and also to enable the interlocking engagement of the protrusions of the tabs with the flaps.

Some examples of cardboard containers in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

Figure 1 is an oblique, perspective view of the lid of a first example;

Figure 2 is an oblique, perspective view of the sleeve of the first example;

Figure 3 is a plan of the blank from which the sleeve of Fig. 2 is fabricated;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary schematic view of the tab and flap employed in the first example;

Figure 5 is an oblique, perspective view of the lid of a second example;

Figure 6 is an oblique, perspective view of the sleeve of the second example;

Figure 7 is an oblique, perspective view of the lid and sleeve of a third example;

Figure 8 is an exploded, oblique, perspective view of a cardboard container including a base; and,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary schematic view of a modified tab and cooperating modified slot for use with any of the examples.

Figs. 1 and 2 respectively show the lid and sleeve of a first embodiment of the cardboard container of this invention. Lid 20 is cut and formed from a cardboard blank, not shown, to comprise a polygonal main panel 20A, shown in Fig. 1 as an octagon, having a plurality of straight side edges 23, each side edge 23 having a tab 21 extending therefrom and being perpendicular to the main panel 20A. Each tab 21 is provided with two protrusions 24 at the two opposite ends of tab 21, each protrusion 24 extending along side edge 23 to form an opening 22 between side edge 23 and protrusion 24, the opening 22 being capable of accommodating therein the thickness of flap 11 of sleeve 10 to be described b6low. Thus a neck portion 23A of length L1 is formed as shown in Fig. 4. Tab 21 may be formed into a crescent shape in order to facilitate its insertion into a slot 13 formed in a flap 11, as described below.

A sleeve 10, as shown in Fig. 2, is cut and formed from a cardboard blank 10A as shown in Fig. 3. Sleeve 10 consists of a polygonal enclosure, which may be an octagon which

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corresponds with the shape of the lid 20, having a plurality of side panels 10B, each side panel 10B having a flap 11 extending from an upper edge 15 of the side panel 10B 5 and folded inwards flush with upper edge 1 5. Each flap 11 is provided with a slot 13 along upper edge 1 5 of side panel 10B to correspond with tab 21 of lid 20. Slot 1 3 preferably has an enlarged central opening 13A of 10 length L2 with an arcuate edge, to leave a relatively narrow, straight opening 14 at each end of the slot 13. The length L2 of the enlarged central opening 13A is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the length L1 1 5 of neck 23A of tab 21. Sleeve 10 is fabricated from the blank 10A as shown in Fig. 3, which is a rectangular strip of cardboard divided into a plurality of sections 10C with fold lines 16, each section 10C being equivalent 20 to a side panel 10B of sleeve 10. A flap 11 with slot 13 is provided at the upper edge of each section 10C. One end of the blank 10A is provided with a tongue 12 having a tip 1 2A to be inserted into a slot 17 formed at 25 the opposite end so as to connect together the two opposite ends when blank 10A is folded into a polygonal enclosure, or sleeve 10, as shown in Fig. 2. In assembling the lid 20 with the sleeve 10, lid 20 is placed on the top 30 side of sleeve 10 with tabs 21 of lid 20 inserted into slots 13 of flaps 11 of sleeve 10. Though tabs 21 always tend to deform slightly when lid 20 is cut from the cardboard blank, the enlarged central opening 13A of 35 flaps 11 enables easy insertion of tabs 21 into slots 1 3. As soon as tabs 21 are inserted into slots 13, slightly deformed tabs 21, particularly protrusions 24, tend to spring back, thus causing protrusions 24 to engage with the 40 side edges of the narrow ends of slot 1 3 from underneath flap 11, so as to interlock tabs 21 with flaps 11 thus firmly securing lid 20 to sleeve 10 without the need of a separate bonding material. The length of each slot 13 45 is shorter than the length of each tab 21.

Figs. 5 and 6 respectively show the lid and sleeve of a second embodiment of the cardboard container of this invention, wherein tabs 21 are provided on every other side edge 23 50 of a lid 20, and flaps 11 are provided on every other upper edge 15 of sleeve 10 in the same manner as lid 20.

Fig. 7, shows a third embodiment of the cardboard container of this invention. This 55 embodiment comprises a rectangular lid 20R having two opposite sides respectively provided with two tabs 21 to cooperate with a rectangular sleeve 10R having two opposite flaps 11 respectively provided with two slots 60 1 3, tabs 21 and slots 1 3 being of the same configuration as those of previous embodiments.

Each example of a lid 20 and sleeve 10 may be used in combination with a tray or 65 base of any type including a base formed by a second lid. Fig. 8 shows one example in which the base 30 proposed in US Patent Specification No. 3,877,631 is conveniently used.

The tab and slot in any of the examples may be modified as shown in Fig. 9, wherein a modified tab 21X has a protrusion 24X at one side and modified slot 12X has one enlarged opening 13XC and one narrow opening 14X. The protrusion 24X engages from underneath with the side edge of narrow opening 14X as the modified tab 24X is inserted into the modified slot 1 3X.

Claims

1. A cardboard container comprising one or two lid members, each lid member having a main panel provided with a plurality of straight side edges and tabs extending from at least some of the side edges in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main panel, each tab having at least one protrusion spaced from and extending along the side edge; and a sleeve member having flaps extending inwards from one or both edges of the sleeve, the flaps having slots along the or each edge of the sleeve at positions corresponding with the tabs of the lid member or members, each slot having an enlarged portion and a relatively narrow portion, wherein when the or each lid member is assembled with the sleeve member the tabs are inserted into the slots of the flaps with the protrusions of the tabs engaging side edges of the narrow portions of the slots underneath the flaps.

2. A cardboard container according to claim 1, wherein each tab is provided with a pair of protrusions extending from opposite ends of a neck portion of the tab, the neck portion being connected to the main panel of the lid member; and wherein each slot comprises an enlarged central portion and two narrow portions at opposite ends of the enlarged central portion to correspond with the protrusions of the tabs, the enlarged central portion being substantially longer than the width of the neck portion of the tab.

3. A cardboard container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the leading edge of each tab is arcuate.

4. A cardboard container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each tab is integral with the respective main panel.

5. A cardboard container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each flap is integral with and folded inwardly relatively to the remainder of the sleeve, each slot being formed along the fold.

6. A cardboard container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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Printed in the United Kingdom for

Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Dd 8818935, 1985, 4235. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.