GB2201663A

GB2201663A - Stackable boxes for carrying fruit

Info

Publication number: GB2201663A
Application number: GB08805171A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jaen Jose Boix
Original assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Current assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Priority date: 1987-03-04
Filing date: 1988-03-04
Publication date: 1988-09-07
Also published as: BE1001070A5; GB8805171D0; IT1219064B; FR2611658A1; DE3806697A1; FR2611658B1; IT8867161A0

Abstract

An open-topped box for carrying fruit comprises a base 1, a pair of end walls 8, 9, a pair of side walls 6, 7, and openings 3 in the base. Protrusions 21 extending above the height of the walls of the box can be received by corresponding openings 3 in a similar box when stacked, thereby locating the stacked boxes in the plane of the base 1. The box is formed from a single folded sheet. <IMAGE>

Description

STACKABLE BOXES FOR CARRYING FRUIT This invention relates to stackable boxes for carrying fruit.

The shown art applied to the manufacture of tray-shaped boxes for fruit transport, that can be piled up both on storage and on transport, starts from the use of a cardboard sheet whereto die-forms and incisions can be performed so as to assemble and constitute them.

A tray-box is known, wherein the fronts or minor sides are formed by a double wall, obtained by extending the front and bending it by the corresponding split line inwards.

These double-walled fronts generally have their ends extended into laps, those of the front itself being arranged on the outer face of the laterals or major walls of the box, and those of the double wall inside, cutting the box angle, their edge standing beneath that of the front, so as to constitute a support for a superposed piled-up box.

Other cases show inner laps with different vertical splits, through which they bend in order to form corners of different shapes.

When the inner laps must stand at a lower level than the front edge, so that the box to be piled up rests on said laps, it has been provided that the shoulder of the double-wallec front has a central cutting to enable the introduction of the hand fingers, both for piling up and for taking boxes out.

Embodiments of the invention may be include some features belonging to such boxes, i.e., they may include z front formed by a double wall, with laps at its ends and with a cutting in the shoulder for passing the hand fingers.

Embodiments of the invention may be folded, as the forrer, fnm a cr shetdivided into zcnescorresponding to the bottom, laterals and double-walled fronts by die-forming with loss of material, cuts and splits which determine bending lines.

The essence of the invention lies on the formation as integral part of the inner wall of the front and providing its end edges and its lateral projections or laps with a small tube or raised edge that forms an angular lug.

Another main feature lies on providing by die-forming with loss of material, with some cuttings performed at the angles of the bottom of the box, which cuttings also partially affect the fronts and the laterals at the rate corre8ponding to the height of the angular lug formed at the laps of the double front.

On the other hand, the double front laps have the length of the main front laps, while their height corresponds to the difference between the lateral walls and the main front, being so arranged that it complements those walls by leaning against their edge.

Finally, another characteristic of the invention. lies on the fact that that part of the shoulder of the double front not being affected by the centraI cutting that allows the hand fingers to pass, stretches towards the inside of the box by a special fold that gives it a triangular sectioned-shape, so that it forms supporting plateaux for the bottom of the box superposedly piled up.

The novelty characteristics having been described in fact involve the introduction of notorious advantages before those known similar tray-boxes. Namely: a) The adjustment of the angular lugs into the also angular cuttings of the bottom of the superposed box, which carries out a column piling-up and the immobilization thereof.

b) The effort of the upper part of the main front laps, which gives it a higher resistance.

c) Providing with the plateaux constituting the double front shoulder allows to increase the resistance in the pile, partially releasing the angular lugs from weight.

For a better comprehension of the characteristics of the invention, two drawings are attached heretothat represent the following: Figure 1.- Top view of the cardboard sheet from which the tray-box is made. Its different divisions obtained by die -forming and spliting can be seen.

Figure 2.- Perspective view of the box assembled in the position to be used.

The numerical references appearing in the drawings correspond to: 1 box bottom; 2, 3, 4 and 5 angular cuttings affecting the bottom angles and, partially, the laterals 6 and 7 and fronts 8 and 9. Each one of the fronts has its ends extended into both laps 10 and 11 corresponding to the front 8 and 12 and 13 corresponding to the front 9. The fronts themsel ves extend into extensions similar to their amplitude 14 and 15 respectively. The junction of the fronts with their extensions is formed by a double strip 16 and 17, which determine in the assembly the formation of the triangular plateaux, such as shown in figure 2 of the drawings. A central cutting 18 affecting the plateaux zone determines that, in the assembly, the front shoulder is cut down for allowing the hand fingers to pass for handling the box. Bugs 19 and 20 into which each one of the double fronts is extended, lean in the assembly on the inner face of the lugs of the main front, being mounted as an extension of the laterals edge,and form by the upper part a proJection 21 which is an angular lug fitting into the cuttings of the bottom angles of the box.

The result of the assembly, as shown in figure 2, lets see that the angular lugs 21 are in the coupling position in respect of the angular cuttings of the bottom, so as to allow the adjustment in the box pile, in cooperation with the plateaux of the double front shoulder.

The outer laps of the fronts, when laterally leaning against the box sides, establish a small-case for the angular lugs, behaving too as coupling and protection guide, since they hide them as said laps are leveled with respect to the bottom of the box.

Claims

Claims:

1. A stackable box for carrying fruit comprising a base, a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls, protrusions extending above the height of the end and side walls, and openings in the base, wherein the protrusions are configured and the openings are positioned in relation to the protrusione so that the protrusions can be received by corresponding openings in a similar box when stacked thereby locating the stacked boxed in the plane of the base, and the box is formed from a single folded sheet into which the protrusions and the openings have previously been cut.

2. A stackable box according to claim 1, wherein each one of the protrusions is in the form of an angled lug, extending along a part of the end and side wall, at each corner of the box.

3. A stackable box according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at each corner of the box a portion of the single folded sheet which forms the end wall extends around the corner and along a part of the side wall.

4. A stackable box according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim3, wherein each portion of the sheet which forme one of the end walls comprises inner and outer portions which fold over one another to provide an end wall of double thickness, and the inner and outer portions are linked by a pair of linking portions which are folded such that one of them forms a support surface, extending in the plane of the base, for supporting the base of a stacked box.

5. A foldable sheet shaped for forming a stackable box according to any one of the preceding claims.

6. A FRUIT TI-3OX, constituted from a cardboard sheet, wherein die-formings with loss of material, cuts and splits have been performed, which define the bottom of the box, the laterals and the fronts, the latter being formed by a double wall, as they are extended into a portion that bends towards the inside of the box and both surfaces, front and double wall, extended by their ends by means of lateral laps for closing the corners, the shoulder being formed by the fronts. and there being a central cutting or recess to enable the hands to pass for handling the boxes, characterized by comprising, as an integral part of the inner wall of the front and affecting the edge of its end and its lateral projections or laps, a raised edge constituting an angular lug which fits into the angles of the bottom of another box superposedly piled up, for which it has been provided that some cuttings are performed by die-forming with loss of material in the angles of the box bottom, said cuttings affectins partially too the fronts and the laterals at the rate that corresponds to the angular lug, the coupling being hidden by the laps of the fronts that outerly lean against the laterals of the box, thereby forming a small-case which is a coupling gui de too.

7. A FRUIT mAX-BOX, according to claim 5, characterized in that the laps of the inner double front have the length of the laps of the main front, while their height corresponds to the difference between the lateral walls of the box and said main front, being so arranged that they complement those walls by leaning on their edge.

a. A FRUIT TRAY-BOX, according to claims 6, and 7, characterized in that the part of the shoulder of the double front which is not affected by the central cutting, stretches towards the inside of the box, by a special fold, determined by two parallel strips delimited by splits that give it a triangular section, forming support plateaux for the bottom of the box which is superposed in the pile.

9. A stackable box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 2 of the accompany drawings.

10. A foldable sheet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.