GB2359544A

GB2359544A - Box assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2359544A
Application number: GB0100821A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Segasby
Original assignee: SEGASBY DESIGN CONSULTANCY Ltd
Current assignee: SEGASBY DESIGN CONSULTANCY Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-12
Filing date: 2001-01-12
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-12
Also published as: GB0000581D0; GB0100821D0; GB2359544B

Abstract

A box assembly has a base region 18 with leg portions 12,14 for enabling the box to stand on a surface, The assembly may comprise a pillow box formed from a single blank or an inner part 10 bearing the leg portions 12,14 may slide within an outer part 16. Contact regions 18a,18b on the box or outer part 16 may facilitate standing of the box.

Description

2359544 1 - 1 - BOX ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to the field of box design, with particular reference to freestanding box assemblies and kits of parts therefor.

An important aspect of a commercial product is the packaging used to package the actual product. In some areas of commerce, for example with many Christmas gifts, the appearance of the packaging contributes significantly towards the appeal of the product to the consumer.

The present invention provides freestanding box assemblies which are aesthetically pleasing, and which are cost effective and convenient to manufacture and to assemble.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a box assembly comprising a base region having a plurality of leg portions extending therefrom, thereby providing contact regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface.

The box assembly is aesthetically pleasing, it being freestanding on leg portions, which affords the box assembly an attractive, raised appearance. Additionally, the assembly is easy to assemble, and can be very conveniently manufactured, for example by cutting a sheet material.

A preferred embodiment comprises two leg portions.

The base region may provide an additional contact region or regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface. The base region may be substantially curved or elliptical in cross section. The base region may comprise a pillow box closure.

The base region may provide two contact regions.

The box assembly may have an opening which is formed in a top portion thereof. The opening may be sealable, and may comprise a pillow box closure.

The box assembly may comprise cardboard.

The box assembly may be corrugated.

In a first embodiment, the box assembly comprises:

an inner portion having a plurality of leg portions; an outer portion comprising a base region having slots therein; and in which the inner portion is slidably engageable with the outer portion so that the leg portions of the inner portions extend from the slots of the outer portion and thereby provide contact regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface.

In the instance in which there is an opening in the top portion of the box assembly, this opening may be formed in the inner portion.

In a second embodiment, the box assembly is formed from a single portion of sheet material.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a kit of parts for a box assembly according to the first aspect of the invention. The term "kit of parts" is understood to include the single portion of sheet material which comprises the second embodiment.

Embodiments of box assemblies in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a three dimensional perspective view of a first embodiment of a box assembly; Figure 2 shows (a) front (b) side and (c) plan views of the first embodiment of a box assembly; Figure 3 shows cutting patterns for inner and outer portions of the first embodiment of a box assembly; Figure 4 shows the construction of the first embodiment of a box assembly.

Figure 5 shows (a) front (b) side and (c) plan views of a second embodiment of a box assembly; and Figure 6 shows a cutting pattern for the second embodiment.

Figures 1 and 2 show various views of a first embodiment of the box assembly of the present invention comprising:

an inner portion 10 having two leg portions 12, 14; and an outer portion 16 comprising a base region 18 having slots (not shown in Figure 1 and 2) therein; in which the inner portion 10 is slidably engageable with the outer portion 16 so that the leg portions 12, 14 of the inner portion 10 extend from the slots of the outer portion 16 and thereby provide contact regions 12a, 14a enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface 20.

The base region 18 of the outer portion 16 is substantially elliptical in cross section. This is illustrated most clearly in Figure 2 (a). The elliptical cross section of the base region 18 permits the base region 18 to provide additional contact regions 18a, 18b enabling the box assembly to stand on the surface 20.

The box assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2 is freestanding on contact regions 12a, 14a, 18a, 18b provided by the legs 12, 14 and portions of the base region 18. This affords the box assembly an aesthetically pleasing, raised, and sculptured appearance.

The entrance to the box assembly is a sealable opening which is formed at the top of the inner portion 10. Conveniently, this sealable opening comprises a pillow box closure 22. Such closures are also known in the art as pouch box closures and comprise, essentially, two substantially ovoid seals, both of which can be folded along substantially arcuate fold lines to effect closure of the sealable opening.

It is an advantage of the present invention that the box assembly can be conveniently manufactured by suitable cutting of a sheet material, such as corrugated cardboard. Figure 3 shows the cutting pattern required to produce the inner 10 and outer 16 portions shown in Figures 1 and 2. Solid lines represent cut edges whereas dotted lines represent fold lines. Identical numerals are used to denote shared elements of these Figures. Figure 3 shows the position of the slots 24, 26. The substantially ovoid portions 2 8, 3 0 comprise the pillow box closure 22 formed at the top of the inner portion 10. The substantially ovoid portions 32, 34 comprise a pillow box closure in the base region 18 of the outer portion 16. The pillow box closure enables easy assembly of the outer portion 16, affords an aesthetically pleasing appearance, and enables the provision of the contact regions 18a, 18b.

A further advantage of the present invention is that both the inner 10 and outer 16 portions can each be formed with a single seal line (along portions 3 6, 3 8).

Figure 4 illustrates how the box assembly is constructed from the inner 10 and outer 16 portions.

The outer portion 17 comprises circular cut-out portions 40, 42. The cutout portions 40, 41 are for decorative purposes, and are particularly effective when the inner 10 and outer 16 portions are of different colours. It will be apparent that other cut-out designs might be employed, or they might be dispensed with altogether.

Figure 5 shows views of a second embodiment of a box assembly of the present invention comprising a base region 50 having two leg portions 52, 54 extending therefrom, thereby providing contact regions 52a, 54b enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface 56.

The overall appearance of the second embodiment is generally similar to the first embodiment. Thus, the second embodiment is freestanding on contact regions 52a, 54b, 50a, 50b provided by leg portions 52, 54 and base region 50. Furthermore, the top portion 58 of the box assembly comprises a pillow box closure 60. Furtherstill, the base region 50 comprises a pillow box closure (not shown).

The principal difference between the first and second embodiments is that the second embodiment is a '4one piece" design, which can be formed from a single cutout portion of the sheet material. Figure 6 shows the cutting pattern required to produce a precursor of the box assembly of Figure 5. Identical numerals are used to denote shared elements of these Figures. The substantially ovoid portions 60, 62 comprise a pillow box closure in the base region of the box assembly. The substantially ovoid portions 64, 66 comprise a pillow box closure in the top portion of the box assembly. The entire box assembly can be formed with a single seal line along portion 68 after suitable folding of the cut-out of Figure 6.

The dimensions of one example of the box assembly shown in the Figures are height 18cm, width 9cm, maximum thickness 4.5cm. However, it is understood that these dimensions are non-limiting.

There are numerous possible variants to the embodiment illustrated in the Figures. For example, the box assembly might stand entirely upon leg portions, and not rely at all on contact between the base region and the surface. The "raised" appearance of the box assembly can be changed by altering the design of the base region. Additionally, different closures might be employed. It is possible to cut alternative kinds of sheet material, and/or to employ a different manufacturing method for producing the inner and outer portions.

Claims

1. A box assembly comprising a base region having a plurality of leg portions extending therefrom, thereby providing contact regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface.

2.

A box assembly according to claim 1 comprising two leg portions.

3. A box assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the base region provides an additional contact region or regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface.

4. A box assembly according to claim 3 in which the base region is substantially curved or elliptical in cross section.

5. a pillow box closure.

A box assembly according to claim 4 in which the base region comprises

6. A box assembly according to any of claims 3 to 5 in which the base region provides two contact regions.

7. A box assembly according to any previous claim in which the box assembly has an opening which is formed in a top portion thereof.

8.

A box assembly according to claim 7 in which the opening is scalable.

9. A box assembly according to claim 8 in which the scalable opening comprises a pillow box closure.

10.

A box assembly according to any previous claim comprising cardboard.

11.

A corrugated box assembly according to any previous claim.

12.

A box assembly according to any of claims 1 to 11 comprising:

an inner portion having a plurality of leg portions; an outer portion comprising the base region and having slots therein; and in which the inner portion is slidably engageable with the outer portion so that the leg portions of the inner portion extend from the slots of the outer portion and thereby provide contact regions enabling the box assembly to stand on a surface.

13. A box assembly according to claim 12 when dependent on any of the claims 7 to 9 in which the opening in the top portion thereof is formed in the inner portion.

14. A box assembly according to any of claims 1 to 11 formed from a single portion of sheet material.

15. A kit of parts for a box assembly according to any of claims 1 to 14.

16. A box assembly or a kit of parts therefor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.