GB2345281A

GB2345281A - A blank which can be folded to form a wedge shaped container

Info

Publication number: GB2345281A
Application number: GB9828776A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian David Kyrle Money
Original assignee: Pethick and Money Ltd
Current assignee: Pethick and Money Ltd
Priority date: 1998-12-29
Filing date: 1998-12-29
Publication date: 2000-07-05
Also published as: GB9828776D0

Abstract

A blank which can be folded to create a closed wedge shaped container, suitable for holding for example a slice of pizza or cake, has two similar triangular faces 1, 2 joined by a first side wall 3, and two further side walls 4, 5 each extending from a respective free edge of one of the triangular faces 1, along a fold line. The two further side walls 4, 5 may be fixed to each other at a corner at which they meet, using an adhesive tab, and a further fold line is provided 12, extending from the corner across the blank, so that the blank can be folded upwardly about the further fold line so as to be flat, with the two further side walls 4, 5 substantially overlying one another. Reinforcing tabs 7, 8 may project from the free edge of the other triangular face 2, and a fastening tab 11 may project upwardly from one side wall 5 to cooperate with an opening 10. The triangular faces 1, 2 may be isosceles triangles with the first side wall 3 extending between the two equal sides of each face. The two reinforcing tabs 7, 8 fit within the respective side walls when the container is closed.

Description

A BLANK WHICH CAN BE FOLDED TO CREATE A WEDGE SHAPE CONTAINER.

A present invention relates to a blank which can be folded to create a wedge shape container for use, for example, to hold a slice of pizza or cake. The blank must be simple to manufacture, readily transportable, and capable of being quickly transformed into the finished container by an end user.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank which can be folded to create a closed wedge shape container, the blank comprising two triangular faces of similar size and shape joined along a respective edge of equal length by a first side wall, two further side walls each extending from a respective free edge of one of the triangular faces, a fold line being provided at each junction between a side wall and a triangular face, so that the blank can be folded to form the container with the triangular faces overlying one another and being separated from one another by the three side walls which complete the container, the two further side walls being permanently fixable to each other at a corner of the triangular face where they meet so as to be upstanding with respect to the triangular face from which they extend, and a further fold line substantially bisecting the angle of the triangular face at the said corner and extending from the corner across the blank, so that the blank can be folded upwardly about the further fold line so as to be flat, with the two further side walls substantially overlying one another. The blank is simple to manufacture, and because it can be folded flat, a number of blanks can be easily transported together. An end user simply has to unfold the blank about the further fold line, and fold the lid to overlie the base in order to complete the container.

The two further side walls may be fixable to one another in any known way, for example by using staples. However, preferably, one of the further walls is provided with a fixing tab having adhesive on one face for adherence to the other of the further walls.

To provide a simple mechanism for holding the container closed, there is preferably a fastening tab projecting from a free edge of the triangular face not having the two further walls, and a second fastening tab projecting upwardly from one of the two further walls, one of the fastening tabs having an opening in which the other fastening tab is received when the container is closed.

The triangular faces may be of any type, but preferably they are isosceles triangles with the first side wall extending between one of the two equal sides of each face.

In order to improve the rigidity of the container, two reinforcing tabs may be provided, each extending from a respective free edge of the triangular face not provided with the two further side walls, the reinforcing tabs being arranged to fit within the respective side walls when the container is closed.

An example of a blank in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank before any folding has taken place; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank in which two of the side walls have been joined; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 2 which has been folded into a flat pack configuration; Fig. 4 is a perspective of the container with its lid open; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the closed container.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 is formed from a single planar sheet of material such as corrugated cardboard bonded between two skins of flat cardboard. The blank comprises two substantially equal isosceles triangle portions forming the base 1 and lid 2 of the finished container respectively. The base 1 and lid 2 are jointed by a first side wall 3. Two further side walls 4,5 extend from the free edges from the base 1, and a fixing tab 6 extends from the side wall 5. Two reinforcing tabs extend from the free edges of the lid 2. One of these tabs 7 extends along the short edge of the lid 2 but terminates short of corner of the lid 2 furthest from the base 1. The second reinforcing tab 8 extends along the long edge of the lid 2 and is provided with a cut portion 9 and a cut-out portion 10. In the finished container, the cut-out portion 10 co-operates with a closure tab 11 projecting from the side wall 5 as described below.

All of the internal lines shown in Fig 1, with the exception of the cut portion 9 and cut-out portion 10, represent score lines. Each score line is cut through one skin and the corrugated cardboard from the side which will ultimately form the outside of the container. Thus, the blank is scored at all of the interfaces shown between the box, lid 2, side walls 3, 4,5 and tabs 6,7,8. In addition, a straight score line 12 extends from the corner of the base 1 at which the tab 6 is provided across the base 1, side wall 3, lid 2 and reinforcing tab 8. The score line 12 bisects the angle at the corner of lid 1. The blank is scored on the surface which will ultimately form the external surface of the container.

As shown in Fig. 2, the side walls 4,5 are folded into an upstanding configuration and the tab 6 is folded inwardly so as to lie along the internal surface of the side wall 4. Glue is applied to the outwardly facing surface of the tab 6 prior to folding so that it adheres to the side wall 4 thereby permanently fixing the side walls 4,5 in the upstanding position shown in Fig. 2. The blank is then folded along score line 12 into the flat configuration shown in Fig. 3 with the two side walls 4,5 lying against one another with the tab 6 sandwiched in between.

In this configuration, the blanks can be conveniently stacked and supplied to a customer.

In order to turn the blank into a container, the user unfolds the blank along the score line 12 returning it to the configuration shown in Fig. 2. In this configuration, the base 1 and side walls 4,5 form a receptacle in which an article can be placed. It is then simply a matter of folding in reinforcing tabs 7, 8 and folding the lid over about the score lines between the base 1, side wall 3 and lid 2 as shown in Fig. 4, tucking the reinforcing tabs 7,8 inside the side walls 4,5 respectively and pressing cut-out portion 10 onto fastening tab 11 to close the container. As the reinforcing tab 7 does not extend the full length of the respective side of the lid 2, it will not interfere with the tab 6 when the container is closed.

Although the above description requires the side walls 4,5 to be upstanding from the base 1, it is entirely possible, particularly for a cake container, for the side walls to be upstanding from the lid. In this case, the blank is identical to that shown and it is simply a matter of the end user deciding to use the triangular portion 2 as the base.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A blank which can be folded to create a closed wedge shape container, the blank comprising two triangular faces of similar size and shape joined along a respective edge of equal length by a first side wall, two further side walls each extending from a respective free edge of one of the triangular faces, a fold line being provided at each junction between a side wall and a triangular face, so that the blank can be folded to form the container with the triangular faces overlying one another and being separated from one another by the three side walls which complete the container, the two further side walls being permanently fixable to each other at a corner of the triangular face where they meet so as to be upstanding with respect to the triangular face from which they extend, and a further fold line substantially bisecting the angle of the triangular face at the said corner and extending from the corner across the blank, so that the blank can be folded upwardly about the further fold line so as to be flat, with the two further side walls substantially overlying one another.
2. A blank according to claim 1, wherein one of the further walls is provided with a fixing tab having adhesive on one face for adherence to the other of the further walls.
3. A blank according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a fastening tab projecting from a free edge of the triangular face not having the two further walls, and a second fastening tab projecting upwardly from one of the two further walls, one of the fastening tabs having an opening in which the other fastening tab is received when the container is closed.
4. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the triangular faces are isosceles triangles with the first side wall extending between one of the two equal sides of each face.
5. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two reinforcing tabs are provided, each extending from a respective free edge of the triangular face not provided with the two further side walls, the reinforcing tabs being arranged to fit within the respective side walls when the container is closed.
6. A blank which can be folded to create a closed wedge shape container substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.