GB2186865A - Boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

A blank for a box, e.g. a slip case, includes a first portion provided with an aperture or apertures (46, 47) and a second portion provided with a foldable lug or lugs (40, 41) for engagement with said aperture or apertures (46, 47) whereby the first and second portions of the blank can be folded into a predetermined form and retained in mutual relationship to each other. Alternatively, the box may be formed from two separate blanks, one having apertures and the other having cooperating lugs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to boxes This invention relates to boxes and particularly but not exclusively to a slip case and to a method for the production of such boxes.

A "slip case" is the name given to a particular type of box which is customarily employed to contain books, video films or the like. Generally speaking, a slip case takes the form of a rectangular box having one face omitted to enable the contents to be viewed through the open face. For example, in the case of a book, the title on the spine of the book can be viewed when contained or stored within the slip case and the book can be slipped in or out of the case as required.

Slip cases are normally formed of cardboard or the like and are provided with an appropriate covering material of paper or fabric which may or may not carry an identifying legend or decoration.

A variety of constructions of slip cases have previously been proposed. For example, in one common method the board is formed from a single blank having scores to permit folding. When it is desired to form the case, the cardboard is folded about its score lines and adjacent faces are glued together as required in order to form the finished slip case.

An outer paper covering is then applied in order to conceal any undesirable junctions.

It has also been proposed to form such slip cases from two suitably folded separate cardboard blanks. The two separate blanks are folded into a desired configuration and nested one within the other so that they can be suitably secured together as by gluing prior to application of an outer paper covering. Such an arrangement has a disadvantage in that location of one preformed blank within the second preformed blank is sometimes awkward as one portion can easily be displaced relative to the second portion.

An object of the present invention is to provide a construction for a one-piece or a twopiece slip case in which this disadvantage is obviated or mitigated.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank adapted to be folded into a box, said blank comprising a first portion provided with an aperture or apertures, and a second portion provided with a foldable lug or lugs for engagement with said aperture or apertures whereby the first and second portions of the blank can be folded into a predetermined form and retained in mutual relationship to each other.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a box comprising providing a blank having a first portion having an aperture or apertures and a second portion having a foldable lug or lugs for engagement with said aperture or apertures, folding the blank into a predetermined form, and engaging said lug or lugs with said aperture or apertures in order to retain the first and second portion in a mutual relationship to each other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general view of a finished slip case; Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a prior art type of two-piece slip case; Figure 4 illustrates a two-piece slip case in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 illustrates a blank for a one-piece slip case in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 illustrates the one-piece slip case of Fig. 5 in partly folded condition.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a finished slip case having a pair of parallel side walls 10, 11, end walls 13, 14 and a rear wall 15. The face 16 is left open so that a book or the like can be inserted or removed as desired.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a prior art type of slip case formed from a pair of co-operating trays 20, 21. Each tray 20, 21 has a single side wall 20(a) and 21(a) respectively. The side wall has associated therewith respective end walls 20(b), 20(c) and 21(b), 21(c) and a rear wall 20(d) and 21(d). The trays are formed from suitably folded cardboard blanks and the coincident edges of the faces of each tray are taped together in order to provide rigidity in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The dimenions of the tray 20 are slightly larger than the tray 21 so that the tray 21 can be nested within the tray 20 and the two trays secured together by suitable gluing.

Such an arrangement provides a satisfactory slip tray but it is sometimes awkward to locate the two trays 20 and 21, one within the other, for subsequent treatment, e.g. taping, without one tray becoming displaced relative to the other.

In order to avoid this difficulty, a form of construction has been devised as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 which is in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows a two-piece type of slip case made up of two co-operating trays of cardboard 30, 31. The construction of each of the trays 30, 31 is similar to that already described in Figs. 2 and 3 in relation to the trays 20, 21. In the embodiment of the present invention, however, the free edge of each end wall 30(b) and 30(c) is provided with a wedge-shaped aperture 32 which is located so as to be engageable by co-operating wedge-shaped lugs 33 provided on the corresponding free edges of the end walls 31(b) and 31(c) of the tray 31. By this means the two trays 30 and 31 can be located one within the other and the lugs 33 can be bent into engagement with their co-operating apertures 32 in the end faces 30(b) and 30(c) of tray 30 thereby preventing the tray 31 moving relative to the tray 30.Subsequent operations, such as the application of the outer paper covering, can then be carried out on the slip case thus formed so that the covering obscures the interconnecting lugs and apertures.

It will be readily appreciated that the projecting lugs 33 can be provided on either the inner or the outer tray with the co-operating apertures 32 being provided in the other tray.

On balance, however, it is preferred to have the lug on the outer tray and the aperture in the inner tray.

It will further be appreciated that the cooperating means comprising lugs and apertures between the two trays will be concealed in the finished slip case by the outer covering material supplied thereto. The outer covering material, in addition to covering the outside of the slip case, will be turned over the edges of the open side so that it extends a short distance into the cavity of the case so as to present a neatly finished appearance and to prevent undue wear at the open edges.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention which is a onepiece blank 34 of cardboard or the like which can be folded to form a one-piece slip case.

The blank 34 comprises side wall portions 35 and 36 which can be folded about fold lines 37 and 38 respectively to form the side walls of the finished slip case, the side walls 35 and 36 being separated by an interconnecting rear wall 39.

The upper and lower edges of the side wall 35, which constitute a first portion of the blank 34, are each provided with integral upper and lower foldable wedge-shaped lugs 40 and 41 respectively.

A second portion of the blank 34 includes side wall 36 having upper and lower edges each provided with an integral top and bottom end flap 42 and 43 respectively, each of which can be folded about associated fold lines 44 and 45. The free horizontal edges of the flaps 42 and 43 each have a pair of wedge-shaped apertures 46 and 47 for engagement with lugs 40 and 41 of the side wall 35.

In order to form a slip case from the onepiece blank 34 shown in Fig. 5, the side walls 35 and 36 are folded about their respective fold lines 37 and 38 so that the side walls 35 and 36 lie substantially parallel to each other.

The top flap 42 is then folded about fold line 42 and the lugs 40 are bent into engagement with their co-operating apertures 46 in said top flap 42 so that the engaged lugs 40 lie in a substantially flat and continuous manner along the upper face of flap 42. Similarly, the bottom flap 43 is then folded about fold line 43 and the lugs 41 are bent into engagement with their co-operating apertures 47 in the bottom flap 43 so that the engaged lugs 41 lie in a substantially flat and continuous manner along the lower face of flap 43.

The mutually engaging lugs and apertures 40, 42 and 41, 43 are sized so that they are an interference fit with each other and serve to hold the box in shape while it is covered with paper or fabric in the same manner as the embodiment described in Fig. 4. As with the Fig. 4 embodiment, the lugs can alternatively be provided on the top and bottom flaps 42, 43 and their co-operating apertures in the side wall 35 rather than as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

If desired, the prepared blank 34 can be folded over a suitable jig so that it readily maintains its shape until the lugs are engaged with their respective apertures.

Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments have been described with particular reference to boxes in the form of slip cases, it will be appreciated that the inventive features can be employed in the formation of boxes other than slip cases. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the vertical free edges of the side walls 35 or 36 could be provided with an integral extension designed to form a tuck-in flap.

Claims (20)

1. A blank adapted to be folded into a box, said blank comprising a first portion provided with an aperture or apertures, and a second portion provided with a foldable lug or lugs for engagement with said aperture or apertures whereby the first and second portions of the blank can be folded into a predetermined form and retained in mutual relationship to each other.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second portions of the blank are separate from each other.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, in which each portion has an integral construction formed from a side wall, a pair of end walls and a rear wall interconnecting said ends walls.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 3 in which the lug or lugs and the aperture or apertures are provided in free edges of the end walls.

5. A blank as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second portions of the blank are integral with each other.

6. A blank as claimed in claim 5, in which the first portion comprises a side wall and the second portion comprises a side wall having opposed integral flaps projecting therefrom, said first and second portions being foldable relative to each other about a rear wall which is integral with each of the first and second portions.

7. A blank as claimed in claim 6, in which each co-operating lug and aperture is provided along free edge portions of the side wall of the first portion and the integral flaps of the second portion.

8. A blank as claimed in any preceding claim in which each lug and aperture is wedge-shaped.

9. A method of forming a box comprising providing a blank having a first portion having an aperture or apertures and a second portion having a foldable lug or lugs for engagement with said aperture or apertures, folding the blank into a predetermined form, and engaging said lug or lugs with said aperture or apertures in order to retain the first and second portions in a mutual relationship to each other.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which the first and second portions of the blank are separate from each other.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which each portion is formed by folding into a construction having a side wall, a pair of end walls, and a rear wall interconnecting said end walls.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, in which the lug or lugs and the aperture or apertures are provided in or on free edges of the end walls.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which the first and second portions of the blank are integral with each other.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising providing said first portion with a side wall and the second portion with a side wall having opposed integral flaps projecting therefrom, and folding said first and second portions relative to each other about a rear wall which is integral with each of the first and second portions.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising providing each co-operating lug or aperture along free edge portions of the side wall of the first portion and the integral flaps of the second portion.

16. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 15, in which each lug and aperture is wedge-shaped.

17. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 16, in which the box is in the form of a slip case.

18. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 17, comprising applying an outer covering to the external surface of the formed box.

19. A method of forming a box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4 or Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A blank adapted to be formed into a box, said blank being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4 or Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.