GB2194771A - Stackable boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

A box or carton, suitable for use in vertical stacking, is formed from a blank comprising a base panel (6), side wall panels (8), and corner panels (10). The blank is folded to provide a generally rectangular box provided at the corner regions with corner edge walls (11a, 11d) extending approximately 45 DEG to the adjacent side walls, and a rib (11b, 11c) extending from the corner edge walls towards the corner (C). At each corner (C) at least one side wall (8) bears against the rib. A separate member (20) is located over the corner region, the member (20) being provided with walls to engage the various parts of the box at the corner region, to retain the various parts of the corner region in a desired position or relationship, and to provide a seating against which a superposed box may be located. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to boxes This invention is concerned with improvements relating to boxes or cartons.

Difficulty is encountered in the erection of a box from a blank, in ensuring that the box has a high degree of resistence at the corners thereof against buckling, as tends to occur when a numbr of boxes are stacked one on top of the other, and it is one of the various objects of this invention to provide a box or carton, having a high degree of strength at the corner regions thereof, which will enable the box to be subjected to a high degree of loading without problem.

According to this invention there is provided a box or carton formed by folding a blank along crease lines, comprising mutually inclined side walls, and at each corner region a rib which is inclined at an acute angle to adjacent side walls.

The ribs may extend inwardly at the corners, but preferably extend outwardly. In the latter circumstance preferably the ribs are so arranged that they lie wholly within a polygonal outline defined by the side walls of the box. Thus preferably the box comprises corner edge walls which extend within such polygonal outline, each rib extending outwardly from such a corner edge wall.

Preferably each rib is provided with two adjacent panels into face-to-face relationship, and securing the folded panels together, by gluing, stitching, stapling or the like.

Where the box is rectangular, preferably the corner edge walls extend across the corner regions, such as at an angle of approximately 45" to adjacent side walls, and the ribs each extend generally centrally from the corner edge wall.

Preferably however at each corner region at least one side wall of the box extends towards the corner, and the rib bears against said side wall at the corner.

In this manner the mutual support provided by the rib and said side wall adds to the stability of the construction.

The box may be constructed from a blank comprising four sections disposed symmetrically around a base panel, each section being adapted to provide one side wall of the box, one corner and rib thereof, and additionally preferably an inner side wall portion adapted to extend on the inside of the side wall of an adjacent section. Preferbly each section comprises on the side wall thereof a flap adapted to be folded around the adajcent inner side wall portion.

Alternatively the box may be constructed from a blank comprising a base panel, two panels on opposite sides of the base panel, each of said panels providing one side wall panel and two corner and rib portions, and two further panels on the other two sides of the base panel which provide the other two side wall panels.

Preferably the box comprises means to assist in the retention of the corner edge walls, the rib and (where provided) a side wall portion against which the rib bears.

Such means may comprise a separable member conveniently moulded from plastics material, and comprising fingers to engage with part of the box to retain them in desired relative postions.

Advantageously such a separable member provides a support surface which extends over the rib and which provides a seating against which a superposed box may be placed.

If desired the means to assist in the retention of the corner edge walls may comprise a formation provided on one part of the blank at each corner which is engagable within another formation thereon.

Advantageously however the box comprises both a separable member as aforesaid, conveniently provided on an upper edge of the box, and such interengaging formations, provided on the lower edge of the box at each corner.

According to this invention there is also provided a box or carton comprising at each corner a folded structure to reinforce the corner, and a separable member at each corner engagable with the box and which is operative to hold the folded portions defining the corner in a desired relationship and to provide a surface on which a superposed box may be positioned.

According to this invention there is also provided (a) a blank for use in the erection of a box of the kind decribed above, and (b) a method of constructing a box of the kind set out above.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a box which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, and which has been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example, both the blank and the method by which the box is made also being illustrative of certain aspects of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE 1 is a view of a blank which may be used in the erection of the illustrative box; FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of one section of the blank; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one corner of the erected box; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of said corner taken from the outside of the box and from below; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the corner of the box from the interior thereof; FIGURES 6 and 7 are respective underneath plan and perspective views of a separable ele ment used in conjunction with the blank in the erection of the box; and FIGURE 8 is a view of an alternative design of blank.

The blank illustrated in Figure 1, and which is also illustrative of this invention, comprises a base panel 6, which is generally rectangular in outline, along one side 7 of which a side wall panel 8A is located. Located on the op posite side of the side wall panel 8A by a double-crease line-9 is a flap 14a.

A corner panel 1 0A extends above the side wall panel 8A, an inner wall panel 12A being located on the opposite side of the corner panel 10A, crease lines 10a to 10e extending across the corner panel 1 0A and defining the boundaries of the corner panel.

Extending alongside the inner wall panel 12A--is the side wall panel 8B of the adjoining section B of the blank, a cut line 13 extending between the panel 8B and the panel 12A and between the panel 8B and the panel 10B, said line 13 extending to the crease line 10e.

Adjacent to the crease line 10d the cut 13 defines a tab 15, and provided in the base panel 6 is a rectangular aperture 16.

- In the erection of the carton from the blank, the corner panel is folded along the crease lines 10a to 10e so that the panels 1 1b and 110 lie in back-to-back relationship wherein they are secured to provide a rib 18 (see Figure 3) extending generally centrally from a corner wall afforded by the panels 1 1a and 1-1d.

The side wall panel 8A is folded about the crease line 7, and the side wall panel 8B of the adjacent section is folded around the out side of the inner wall panel 12A, the flap 14B of said panel 8B being folded over the inner wall panel 12A.

In this position the tab 15 enters the aper ture 16, to restrain relative movement be tween the corner panel 10A and the base panel 6.

Simultaneously the flap 14A will be folded around the double-crease line 9 to retain the inner wall panel 12D of the other adjacent section against the side wall panel 8A.

In this manner a box is erected which is stable, and has particularly high load bearing capabilities at the corner regions thereof.

Whilst the interengagement between the tab 15 and the aperture 16 retain the rib in a desired position at the base of the box, desir ably a plastic insert 20 (Figures 6 and 7) is utilised to retain the parts of the corner in desired relationships, the element comprising a top portion 22, providing a generally flat surface and fingers or legs 24 extending dow ardly from the top portion, and which are ada pated to embrace the panels 11 a, rib 18, panel 11 d, and optionally the side edge por tion of the panel 8B -of the adjoning section, against which the rib 18 abuts (see also'Fig- ure 3).

The insert 20 is shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7, the insert being provided with a central web 21, and two side walls 24, 26 which intersect at 90" to define a corner C.

Spaced parallel walls 28, 28 extend diagonally from the corner C, being spaced a short distance therefrom, towards a cross wall 30.

Adjacent the outside edge on the underside of the web short walls 32, 32 are provided which are spaced from the walls 24 and 26.

On the top side the walls 24, 26 and web 21 define three sides of the corner.

Thus when the insert 20 is placed downwardly over the corner of the box, as is shown in Figure 6, the various panels are retained in their desired relationship, the insert similarly providing a defined corner, including side walls (provided by the inside of the walls 24 and 26) and a base surface (provided on the side of the web 21 opposite to the surface 22) against which the corner of a superposed box may be positioned.

Whilst the box which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is conveniently erected from the blank shown in Figure 1, an alternative construction of blank is shown in Figure 8, in which the various panels 8, 10, 11, 12 and 14 are disposed in a different configuration about the base 6. By the use of the construction illustrated in Figure 8, the blank may be fed (in the direction of the Arrow A) through an adhesive applying machine wherein adhesive is applied to the panels 11 b and 1 1c (shown shaded in the drawing), and through a folding machine wherein said panels are folded in back-to-back relationship.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (21)

1. A box or carton formed by folding a blank along crease lines, comprising mutually inclined side walls, and at each corner a rib which is inclined at an acute angle to adjacent side walls.

2. A box according to Claim 1 wherein the ribs extend outwardly at the corners.

3. A box according to Claim 2 wherein the ribs are so arranged that they lie wholly within a polygonal outline defined by the side walls of the box.

4. A box according to Claim 3 comprising corner edge walls which extend within such polygonal outline, each rib extending outwardly from such a corner edge wall.

5. A box according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein each rib is provided by two adjacent panels of the blank secured to gether in face-to-face relationship.

6. A box according to Claim 5 wherein the panels are secured together by gluing, stitching, stapling or the like.

7. A box according to any one of the preceding claims, the box being rectangular, and comprising corner edge walls extend across the corner regions at an angle of approximately 45" to adjacent side walls, the ribs each extending generally centrally from the corner edge walls.

8. A box according to Claim 7 wherein at each corner region at least one side wall of the box extends towards the corner, and the rib bears against said side wall at the corner.

9. A box according to any one of the preceding claims, constructed from a blank comprising four sections disposed symmetrically around a base panel, each section being adapted to provide one side wall of the box, and one corner and rib thereof.

10. A box according to Claim 9 wherein each section also provides an inner side wall portion adapted to extend on the inside of the side wall of an adjacent section.

11. A box according to one of Claims 9 and 10 wherein each section comprises on the side wall thereof a flap adapted to be folded around the adjacent inner side wall portion.

12. A box according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 wherein the blank comprises a base panel, two panels on opposite sides of the base panel, each of said panels providing one side wall panel and two corner and rib portions, and two further panels on the other two sides of the base panel which provide the other two side wall panels.

13. A box according to any one of the preceding claims comprising means to assist in the retention of the corner edge walls, the rib and (where present) a side wall portion against which the rib bears.

14. A box according to Claim 13 wherein said means comprises a separable member adapted to engage with parts of the box to retain them in desired relative positions.

15. A box according to Claim 14 wherein said separable member provides a support surface which extends over the rib and which provides a seating against which a superposed box may be placed.

16. A box according one of Claims 14 and 15 wherein said separable member is moulded of plastics material.

17. A box according to any one of Claims 13, 14, 15 and 16, wherein said means to assist in the retention of the corner edge walls comprises a formation provided on one part of the blank at each corner which is en gagable with another formation thereon.

18. A box or carton provided at each corner with a folded structure to reinforce the corner, and a separable member at each corner engageable with the box and which is operative to hold the folded portion defining the corner in a desired relationship and to provide a surface on which a superposed box may be positioned.

19. A box or carton, constructed arranged substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A blank for the use in the erection of a box, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference: (a) to Figure 1; or (b) to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of erecting a box or carton, when carried out substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.