GB2374336A

GB2374336A - Containers formed from blanks

Info

Publication number: GB2374336A
Application number: GB0109189A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Robert Alexande Mcdonald
Original assignee: David S Smith Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: David S Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2001-04-12
Filing date: 2001-04-12
Publication date: 2002-10-16
Also published as: GB0109189D0

Abstract

A corrugated board container includes a pair of opposed sides 16, 18 and a pair of opposed ends 22, 24, each side 16, 18 and end 22, 24 having a base flap 32, 34, 46 hingedly attached thereto. The side base flaps 32, 34 are identical and have a first part 40 fixable to an adjacent end base flap 46 and a second part 50 engageable against the opposed side base flap 32, 34. The friction resistance to movement caused by said engagement helps to prevent collapse of the container.

Description

Containers The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to containers, and particularly but not exclusively containers erected from a blank of a board material, for example corrugated paper board, which is partially assembled into a flat collapsed condition for storage and transportation and erectable at the point of use.

It is a well know practice within the corrugated board container industry to provide cartons which are partially erected at the initial manufacturing stage but are stored and transported in a collapsed condition so that they can be erected, usually without the use of machinery, at the place where the cartons have to be filled.

Cartons of this nature are often provided with what is known as a crash lock base. Crash lock bases normally comprise a plurality of end flaps each of which is attached on a hinge line to a side of the carton. The carton is partially erected from a blank simply by gluing a tab from one end of the blank to the other end of the blank such that the blank forms a rectangular cross-section tube which is collapsed into a double thickness layer of board, with the end flaps which in the erected carton form the base, extending therefrom.

In one well known form of carton the end flaps are cut and glued together at manufacture in such a way that they collapse into the collapsed carton such that it can lie in a flat condition and so that when the carton is erected by opening out the sides into the normal rectangular prismatic form, the end flaps move downwardly, either by themselves or with the help of the erector, into interlocked positions which, due to the interengagement between the flaps and the gluing, provides a base of sufficient rigidity to hold the contents of the container therein.

Usually locking formations are provided on respective flaps engageable together to hold the carton in an erected condition. Such formations may comprise steep steps in opposite end flaps, which steps engage against each

other to prevent collapse of the container. Difficulties can be encountered in causing locking together of such formations, which usually provide resistance against being pushed to a locked condition. This may prevent machine erection of the cartons, and/or may cause difficulties with manual erection, requiring a reasonable force to be used and providing for instance if performed regularly a danger of repetitive strain injury.

According to the present invention there is provided a container including a pair of opposed sides and a pair of opposed ends, each side and end having a base flap hingedly attached thereto, the base flaps being so formed that on erection of the container each flap lies over a part of an adjacent base flap and under a part of an adjacent base flap, at least one resistance base flap having a first part fixable, for instance by gluing, to a further base flap, and a second part engageable when the carton is erected against a yet further base flap such that the friction resistance to movement caused by said engagement helps to prevent collapse of the container.

Preferably the container has two resistance base flaps which are desirably on opposite faces. The respective second parts are preferably engageable with the other resistance base flaps.

The or each resistance base flap is preferably provided on a side or sides of the container, and the or each first part is preferably fixable to a base flap on a respective end of the container.

The first and second parts are preferably provided on a single planar section of the respective base flap and the first part may overlay a part of said further end flap, with the second part comprising the remainder of said section which does not overlay said further end flap.

The single planar section may be joined to the remainder of the respective base flap by a hinge, and the remainder of said respective base flap may comprise a further single planar section.

A formation may be provided on said further single planar section engageable with the opposed base flap, which formation may comprise a gently inclined step, and a similar formation may be provided on said opposed base flap.

Locking formations may be provided on opposed base flaps which are engageable when the container is erected to help prevent collapse of the container, the locking formations may comprise relatively steep steps on opposed base flaps engageable against each other. The locking formations may be provided on the side base flaps.

The blank may be made of any of: corrugated board, carton board, fibre board, corrugated or sheet plastics material.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 shows a blank from which a first carton according to the present invention can be erected; Figs. 2 and 3 show similar views of blanks for forming respectively second and third cartons according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view from beneath of an erected fourth carton according to the invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the carton of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective rear view of the fourth carton in an almost erect condition; and Fig. 7 is a more detailed view similar to Fig. 6.

Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings show respectively blanks 10,12 and 14 erectable into respective cartons. The blanks 10,12, 14 are formed of corrugated board. In the drawings fold lines are shown as broken lines.

The blank 10 of Fig. 1 comprises rectangular side panels 16, 18 attached along fold lines 20 to a pair of end panels 22,24. A connector tab 26 is provided at one end of the side panel 18 and is fixable by glue to the inner or outer side of the remote end panel 22 on partial erection of the blank 10.

Each of the side and end panels 16,18, 22,24 have top flaps 28 hingedly attached thereto to close a container formed from the blank 10. As the top flaps 28 do not form part of the present invention they will not be described in any detail.

Each of the side panels 16,18 has a respective base flap 32,34 which are identical and connected to the respective panel 16, 18 by a fold line 36. Each flap 32,34 comprises a main portion 38 extending from the whole of the fold line 36. At the right hand end as shown in Fig. 1 the main portion 38 tapers gently downwardly to permit engagement with other end flaps to form a base when fully erected. The left hand side of the main portion 38 tapers at approximately 45 and mounts a subsidiary portion 40. The portion 40 is in the shape of a right-angled triangle with the connection by a fold line 42 to the main portion 38 as the hypotenuse, except that small indents are provided at each end of the other sides adjacent the hypotenuse. A shallow cut-out 44 is provided in the bottom of the main portion 38 adjacent and extending just into the subsidiary portion 40.

Identical base flaps 46 extend from the end panels 22,24 and are connected thereto by folds 48. The base flaps 46 are not as deep as the base flaps 32,34 and taper from each end thereof but more gently at their right hand end.

In use the tab 26 is glued to the end panel 22. The subsidiary portions 40

are glued to the adjacent respective base flap 46. This leaves a portion 50 (shown by stripes on one of the portions 40) clear of the respective base flap 46.

At this point the base flaps 32,34, 46 will be pointing upwardly and inwardly. As the side and end panels 16, 18, 22,24 are moved to a perpendicular rectangular arrangement this will automatically cause the base formed by the flaps 32,34, 46 to flatten out. The portion 50 on each of the flaps 40 will engage on the other of the base flaps 32,34, and the friction provided by this engagement will in normal use prevent the container moving from an erect condition.

There is thus described a blank for a carton and a carton formed from the blank which can readily be moved to an erect condition by existing machines or by hand. Without any specific lock the erection is much easier than many conventional cartons. The friction engagement described above helps to retain the carton in an erect form but permits easy collapse without damage to the carton when required. This is significant for multi-use cartons such as for example wine carriers, or when collapse is required for disposal.

This arrangement permits a relatively large glue area to be provided on the base.

Fig. 2 shows a generally similar blank 12 but with a different top arrangement permitting a closable container with a flap 52, extendably from a one of the side panels 53, engageable in a slot 54, spaced upwardly from the other side panel 55.

Fig. 3 shows a blank 14 similar to the blank 12 except that in the middle lower edge of the side base flaps 56 a short steep step 58 is provided. This provides for a positive lock in an erect condition as well as the friction engagement described above. This therefore provides for a particularly securely erect carton.

Figs. 4-7 show a fourth carton 60 which is similar to that formed from the blank 10 except that it has a different top flap arrangement. As this top flap arrangement does not form part of the invention it will not be described, and

similar reference numerals will be used as for the blank 10.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the carton 60 in a fully erect condition with the base flaps 32,34, 46 held together in a friction fit. Figs. 6 and 7 show the carton 60 approaching a fully erect condition and the areas of friction resistance are shown at 50. This friction resistance holds the carton 60 in an erect condition but permits ready collapse of the carton 60 when required.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the carton can take many different forms and could for example constitute a wine bottle carrier as outlined above. The blank may be made from a wide range of materials including corrugated board, solid board, fibre board, corrugated or sheet plastics material.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A container including a pair of opposed sides and a pair of opposed ends, each side and end having a base flap hingedly attached thereto, the base flaps being so formed that on erection of the container each flap lies over a part of an adjacent base flap and under a part of an adjacent base flap, at least one resistance base flap having a first part fixable, for instance by gluing, to a further base flap, and a second part engageable when the carton is erected against a yet further base flap such that the friction resistance to movement caused by said engagement helps to prevent collapse of the container.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which the container has two resistance base flaps.

3. A container according to claim 2, in which the resistance base flaps are on opposite faces.

4. A container according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the respective second parts are engageable with the other resistance base flaps.

5. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which the or each base flap is provided on a side or sides of the container.

6. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which the or each first part is preferably fixable to a base flap on a respective end of the container.

7. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which the first and second parts are provided on a single planar section of the respective base flap.

8. A container according to claim 7, in which the first part overlies a part of said further base flap, with the second part comprising the remainder of said

section which does not overlie said further base flap.

9. A container according to claim 7 or claim 8, in which the single planar section is joined to the remainder of the respective base flap by a hinge.

10. A container according to any of claims 7 to 9, in which the remainder of said resistance base flap comprises a further single planar section.

11. A container according to claim 10 when dependent on claim 3 and any claim dependent thereon, in which a formation is provided on said further single planar section engageable with the opposed base flap.

12. A container according to claim 11, in which the formation comprises a gently inclined step.

13. A container according to claim 11 or claim 12, in which a similar formation is provided on said opposed base flap.

14. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which locking formations are provided on opposed base flaps which are engageable when the container is erected to help prevent collapse of the container.

15. A container according to claim 14, in which the locking formations comprise relatively steep steps on opposed base flaps engageable against each other.

16. A container according to claim 14 or claim 15 in which the locking formations are provided on the side base flaps.

17. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which the container is made of any of: corrugated board, carton board, fibre board, corrugated or sheet plastics material.

18. A container substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference

to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 or Figs. 4 to 7.

19. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.