GB2219989A

GB2219989A - Transit box

Info

Publication number: GB2219989A
Application number: GB8815256A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Joseph Hunt
Original assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Current assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Priority date: 1988-06-27
Filing date: 1988-06-27
Publication date: 1989-12-28
Also published as: GB8815256D0

Abstract

A transit box has a base, two end walls locatable in upward position in relation to the base preferably by hinges and foldable inwardly, and a back wall locatable in upward in relation to the base preferably by a hinge and foldable inwardly, the interconnection preferably by a catch between the two end walls and the back wall maintaining the three walls in a relatively fixed position when located in upward position on the base even without additional locking as provided by a front wall and top lid. The top lid is connectable to the back wall and end walls and the front wall is openable independently of the top lid to allow access to the interior of the box. A catch means is provided to connect the top lid and at least one of the other end walls or front wall. The base, walls and lid are of rigid construction, the interconnection between the base, walls and lid in fully assembled and closed position preventing any opening of any portion of any portion of the box other than by first opening the catch means.

Description

TRANSIT RX This invention relates to transit boxes i.e. shipping containers particularly for use for clothing and similar articles and relates to the invention described in Patent Applications Nos. 8719952 and 8728468.

In those applications there are described transit boxes comprising a base meter, two ends locatable in upright position in relation to the base and foldable inwardly, a back wall connectable to the base to fold inwardly, a top lid connectable to the back wall and ends and a front wall which is in closed position is lockable to the base and top lid and in front open position for the box is storable in an access position in the base. This structure is stackable on a lower container. A transit box must be capable of resisting forces during use so that there is no collapse of the box in transit and yet the box must be easily foldable to a disassembled position.

The transit box of the present invention comprises a base, two end walls locatable in upward position in relation to the base and foldable inwardly, a back wall locatable in upward position in relation to the base and foldable inwardly, the interconnection between the two end walls and the back wall maintaining the three walls in a relatively fixed position when located in upward position on the base even without additional locking as provided by the front wall and top lid, a top lid connectable to the back wall and end walls, a front wall which is openable independently of the top lid to allow access to the interior of the box and a catch means connected to the top lid and at least one of the other end walls or front wall said base, walls and lid being of rigid construction, the interconnection between the base, walls and lid in fully assembled and closed position preventing any opening of any portion of the box other than by first opening the catch means.

The box is assembled from rigid panel members which resist collapse of the box particularly during transit. In a preferred form the panel members will be formed fran rigid plastics material with appropriate ribbing to strengthen the panels.

The interlocking means of the end walls and the back wall to the base is preferably by hinge means so that the walls are permanently connected to the base. The interconnection could be by an angled groove and tongue or clip means whereby, once the back wall and end walls have been attached to the base, they can only be removed by opening of both the front wall and top lid. Particularly, the end walls can be connected to the back wall by one or more catches which hold the structure in assembled position even in the absence of front wall and the top lid although once the front wall and the top lid have been attached and locked together with the base and other walls these back catches may become redundant.

The end walls and back wall can be provided with interconnecting grooves or locking means to assist in the interconnection of the various panels forming the sides and top and front to ensure rigidity and interlocking in the final assembled structure. Similarly, the top lid can be hinged to the back wall and by interconnecting means particularly tongue and groove structures to ensure retention of the walls together in the final assembled structure. A typical structure is described in the earlier patent application No. 8728468.

Finally, the front wall as described in the earlier patent applications can be completely removable and stowable in the base which is provided with a receiving area for the front wall. Alternatively, there may be a lower portion of the front wall attachable to the base or forming a permanent part of the base, the upper portion of the front wall being hingeable about the lower portion so as to fold out and down and provide access to the interior when desired. In such a construction the front wall must be capable of being opened freely even though the top lid is in place on the transit box. If therefore the top lid has a downward flange which lies over the front wall in the fully assembled position this must be hingeable so as to release the front wall if desired.

The front wall also can have catches attaching it to the end walls so as to preserve the integrity of the structure when the top lid is locked to the front wall. The structure of the top lid can be as described in the earlier application No. 8728468.

The important feature of the top lid construction is that, when the box is in fully assembled structure, the final closure of the catch joining the tcp lid with, particularly, the front wall results in an interlocked structure which does not permit any panel to be moved or removed without releasing the catch. When this catch is then appropriately sealed the integrity of the transit box on receipt can be quickly verified and no opportunity exists for pilfering of the contents. As already stated, preferably some of the walls will be permanently hinged to other walls or alternatively interlocked by means of tongue and groove structures which give the final total interlocked effect on locking of the final catch.The catch, depending on the hinging, will be between the top lid and front wall but the top lid could be hingeably connected to an end wall rather than a back wall and the catch could then be between the opposed end wall and the top lid or between the top lid and either or both of the back and front walls.

In such a construction the front wall unlike the previous constructions need not be stowable in the base and folding down of the front wall leaves sufficient opening to allow access into the container.

Such a construction then would resemble that of patent application No. 8728460 except that the front wall 12 would have a lower portion permanently mounted on the base and hingeably connected to the upper portion of the front wall. The catch retaining integrity of the whole construction would be the catch of label portion 9 lockable to the front wall 12. Hinges could be provided to interlock back wall 3 with end walls 2 at a time when the top wall 8 and front wall 12 are in the open position. The interconnection of hinges such as 14 and the hinges joining top wall portions 7, 8 to back wall 3 together with tongue and grooving as described in the earlier application ensures the integrity of the construction and once the top lid is locked to the front wall 12 by catch in 9 this intregrity will be maintained until that catch is released or unsealed. The rigid vertical walls with their ribbing provide for the necessary strength during transportation of the box and other handling.

Claims

CLAIM:

1. A transit box comprising a base, two end walls locatable in upward position in relation to the base and foldable inwardly, a back wall locatable in upward position in relation to the base and foldable inwardly, the interconnection between the two end walls and the back wall maintaining the three walls in a relatively fixed position when located in upward position on the base even without additional locking as provided by the front wall and top lid, a top lid connectable to the back wall and end walls, a front wall which is openable independently of the top lid to allow access to the interior of the box and a catch means connected to the tcp lid and at least one of the other end walls or front wall said base, walls and lid being of rigid construction, the interconnection between the base, walls and lid in fully assembled and closed position preventing any opening of any portion of the box other than by first opening the catch means.

2. A transit box according to claim 1 wherein the ends are hingedly connected to the base and the back wall is hingedly connected to the base and the top lid is hingedly connected to the upper edge of the back wall.

3. A transit box according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which the rigidity of the walls is provided by ribs which provide rigid panels for the walls.

4. A transit box according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the end walls are provided with ribs which locate in grooves in at least the top lid and front wall and optionally in the back wall.

5. A transit box according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the front wall comprises two hingedly connected portions, the upper portion being the major part of the front wall and being foldable outwardly and downwardly about the hinge connection.

6. A transit box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings accompanying application No. 8728468.