GB2210602A - Box - Google Patents

Abstract

A box movable between a flat collapsed condition and an erected condition comprises rigid panels forming the top 11, back 12, base 13, front 14 and sides 15, 16 all hingedly interconnected. The sides 15, 16 are connected to the base 13 or front 14 and back 12 with triangular gussets 50, 51. The construction is particularly suited to a record carrying case. <IMAGE>

Description

BOX This invention concerns a box of the kind (hereinafter termed of the kind referred to) which can be erected from a collapsed storage condition wherein all the major parts thereof lie generally in a common plane to form a 'flat-pack'.

The box of the invention may be sized to house long-playing records cassettes or compact discs and besides being conveniently compact for storage at the point of sale also has the advantage of being collapsible by the user for storage when not in use for the transport or storage of such records or the like.

According to the present invention there is provided a box of the kind referred to comprising (a) rigid rectangular panel members of equal width defining a top, back, base and front hingedly joined along their adjacent widthwise edges but with the top not hingediy connected with the front; (b) opposite rigid rectangular panel members defining sides hingedly connected to opposite sides of one of said back base or front; and (c) triangular gusset members hingedly connected between said sides and at least one of the other parts.

Each said gusset may be comprised by a flexible sheet.

A rigid rectangular flap may be provided and hinged connected to another part and adapted to overlie the said gussets when the box is erected.

A further but narrow rectangular panel may be hingedly connected to the free edge of said top and adapted to overlie the upper portion of said front when the box is erected and closed.

Fastening means between said further panel and said front may be provided.

Said fastening means may be engageable both when the box is in its collapsed and erected conditions.

Further fastening means may be provided to secure the front to the sides when the box is erected.

Still further fastening means may be provided to hold the sides against the back when the box is collapsed.

The invention will be further apparent from the following'description with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, two forms of box, being a record case and compact disc case respectively, embodying same.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the first form of box when erected; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the outside of the box of Figure 1 when unfolded to a flat condition; Figure 3 shows the reverse side of the box of Figure 1 when arranged as in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the box of Figure 1 part-way between its erected and collapsed conditions; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the box of Figure 1 in its fully collapsed condition; Figure 6 shows a cross-section through the box on the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the second form of box when erected; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the box of Figure 7 part-way between its collapsed and erected conditions; and Figure 9 shows a plan view of the box of Figure 7 when fully collapsed.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the box generally indicated at 10 comprises a plurality of rigid rectangular panels including ones which form a top 11, back 12, base 13 and front 14. The panels 11 to 14 are hingedly connected along adjacent widthwise edges but with the top 11 unconnected with the front 14. The top 11 has a carrying handle 30.

Further rigid panels form opposite sides 15 and 16 and these are hingedly connected to the opposite side edges of the back 12.

Triangular gussets 17 and 18 of flexible sheet material are connected by one of their edges to the lower edges of the sides 15 and 16 and by another of their edges to the inner face of said base 15 along lines extending inwardly of the base at 450 from the outer edge of the base at its hinged connection with the back 12.

A rigid rectangular flap 19 of the same dimensions as the base 13 is provided and hingedly connected on the inside of the box at the junction between the front 14 and base 13.

A further narrow rigid panel 20 is hingedly connected with the free edge of the top 11 and overlies the upper portion of the front 14 when the box is erected and closed. Releasable interengageable fastening parts 21 and 22 are secured to the free edge of panel 20 and to the outer face of front 14.

The box may be collapsed from its erected condition by releasing the parts 21 and 22, lifting the top 11, lowering the front 14, pulling flap 19 forwardly and outwardly from the base 13, folding the sides 15 and 16 inwardly to overlie the back 12 at the same moving the gussets 17 and 18 to overlie the rear part of base 13 rather than the foward part and dropping the back downwardly and rearwardly.

The box is now as shown in Figure 2 and 3.

The final stages of moving the box to the collapsed condition of Figures 5 and 6 are folding the front to overlie the base and part of the back and sides and folding the top to overlie the back and sides when fastening parts 21 and 22 may be re-engaged.

The box may be erected from the collapsed condition by reversing the operations described.

Velcro (R.T.M.) tapes 31 and 32 may be provided to secure the front 14 to the sides 15 and 16 when the box is erected.

Fastening means 33 again of Velcro may be provided to hold the sides 15 and 16 against the back 12 when the box is collapsed.

The box may be fcrmed from rectangular boards placed between inner and outer plastics sheets welded together between adjacent board edges to form the hinge lines.

Referring now to Figures 7 - 9 it will be seen that the second form of box whilst dimensioned for its intended purpose is otherwise generally similar to the box of Figures 1 - 6, and like parts are numbered with like reference numerals.

In this embodiment however there are a pair of triangular gusset members 50 and 51 joined between each of the sides 15 and 16 and the adjacent side edges of the back 12 and front 14 respectively.

Rigid rectanular flaps 52 and 53 extend from the upper edges of the sides 15 and 16 and can be folded to overlie the inner surfaces of the sides 15 and 16 with the gusset members located therebetween to secure the box in its erected condition.

The box can be unfolded to the flat condition shown in Figure 9.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. - A box of the kind referred to comprising :- (a) rigid rectangular panel members of equal width defining a top, back, base and front hingedly joined along their adjacent widthwise edges but with the top not hingedly connected with the front; (b) opposite rigid rectangular panel members defining sides hingedly connected to opposite sides of said back; and (c) triangular gusset members hingedly connected between said sides and at least one of the other parts.
2. 2. A box according to claim 1 wherein said trangular gusset members are hingedly connected by one of their edges to the lower edge of each said side and by another of their edges to the inner face of said base along lines extending inwardly of said base at 450 from the outer edge of the base at its hinged connection with said back.
3. 3. A box according to claim 1 wherein there are a pair of triangular gusset members between each side and the adjacent side edges of the back and front.
4. 4. / A box according to any preceding claim wherein said gusset is comprised by a flexible sheet.

   4. A box according to any preceding claim wherein each said gusset is comprised by a flexible sheet.

   5. A box according to claim 2, wherein a rigid rectangular flap is provided and hingedly connected on the inside.of the box at the junction between said front and base and is adapted to overlie the base with said gussets therebetween when the box is erected.

   6. A box according to claim 3 wherein rigid rectangular flaps are hingedly connected to the upper edges of the sides and adapted to overlie the inner faces of the sides with the gussets therebetween when the box is erected.

   7. A box according to any preceding claim, wherein a further but narrow rectangular panel is hingedly connected to the free edge of said top and adapted to overlie the upper portion of said front when the box is erected and closed.

   8. A box according to claim 7, wherein fastening means between said further panel and said front are provided.

   9. A box according to claim 8, wherein said fastening means are engageable both when the box is in its collapsed and erected conditions.

   10. A box according to claim 2 including fastening means to secure the front to the sides when the box is erected.

   Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A box of the kind referred to comprising : (a) rigid rectangular panel members of equal width defining a top, back, base and front hingedly joined along their adjacent widthwise edges but with the top not hingedly connected with the front; (b) opposite rigid rectangular panel members defining sides hingedly connected to opposite sides of said back; and of flexible material (c) triangular gusset members/hingedly connected between said sides and at least one of the other parts.

   2. A box according to claim 1 wherei said trangular gusset members are hingedly con ected by one of their edges to the lower edge of e h said side and by another of their edges to the waner face of said base along lines extending inwardly f said base at 450 from the outer edge of the ass at its hinged connection with said back.

   3. A box according to claim 1 wherein there are a pair of tri gular gusset members between each side and the ad cent side edges of the back and front.