GB2486661A

GB2486661A - Container locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2486661A
Application number: GB1021637.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie John Groves
Original assignee: Smurfit Kappa Corrugated UK Ltd
Current assignee: Smurfit Kappa Corrugated UK Ltd
Priority date: 2010-12-21
Filing date: 2010-12-21
Publication date: 2012-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2030-12-21
Also published as: GB2486661B; GB201021637D0

Abstract

A locking mechanism e.g. for securing a paperboard container 36 to a laminated paperboard pallet 34 comprises a pair of panels 24, 26, which may form support feet, connected along a common edge 44 to form a corner. A transverse cut 46 is formed through the corner and the panels are formed with hinge lines 48 defining an evertable locking feature 28. The container may be formed from foldable sheet material and may be part of an assembly or kit of parts comprising the container formed from folded sheet material including integral support feet, and a pallet or base which when assembled with the container at least partially relieves the weight carried by the feet of the container.

Description

CONTAINER LOCKING MECHANISM

This invention concerns containers formed from foldable sheet material, such as cases made from corrugated paperboard. More particularly, in one aspect, the invention concerns a mechanism for lockably securing together relatively movable parts of such containers or for securing such a container to an accessory; the mechanism being used for example to secure a container closure flap or lid, or to fix a case or hood to a pallet or other base. In another aspect, the invention concerns a combination comprising a container formed from foldable sheet material and a pallet.

Large corrugated cardboard packing cases used for bulk dehvery of goods to supermarkets and similar retail outlets are sometimes provided with feet to support the bottom of the case clear of the ground, making the case easier to handle by forklifts and dollies. With the top opened, the case can also serve as a bin, from which retail customers can pick out goods, saving the supermarket staff the work of unloading the goods into a separate display bin or onto shelving. The case body and feet can be formed from the same unitary blank, but the resulting structure is not particularly robust and is therefore limited to relatively light duties.

For bulk delivery of heavier goods, standard packing cases on separate wooden pallets are often used. Packing, shipping and unpacking goods by this method is however more labour intensive. Recycling or return of the wooden pallets for re-use also causes added inconvenience throughout the supply chain.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a locking mechanism comprising a pair of panels of foldable sheet material connected along a common edge to form a corner; the corner being transversely cut and the panels being formed with hinge lines defining an evertable locking feature.

The hinge lines may be creases or score lines, They may run one in each of the panels. The transverse cut may interconnect ends of the hinge lines. The transverse cut may be substantially straight in each panel. It may run substantially normal to the common edge; the hinge lines running substantially parallel to the common edge. Alternatively, the hinge lines may meet at a point on the common edge, the ends of the transverse cut meeting the other ends of the hinge lines at substantially a right angle.

The locking mechanism may be evertable to protrude adjacent to a movable or removable panel, to retain that panel in position relative to the pair of panels. The movable or removable panel may comprise a pallet deck. The pallet deck may comprise laminated paperboard. The pair of panels may comprise depending corner parts of a case or hood which is to be secured to the pallet deck. The case or hood may comprise such a depending corner part at each lower corner.

Alternatively the locking mechanism may be passed through a slot formed in a movable or removable panel, and everted or uneverted to secure the pair of panels to the movable or removable panel. The movable or removable panel may comprise a container lid or closure flap. The secured locking mechanism may comprise a retaining ledge for a further container stacked on top of the lid or closure flap.

In a second independent aspect, the present invention provides, assembled or as a kit of parts: a) a container formed from foldable sheet material and comprising integral support feet, and b) a pallet or base which when assembled with the container at least partially relieves the weight carried by the integral support feet.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a blank for a bulk goods transport case forming one component of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a blank for forming a pallet deck for use in conjunction with the case blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an optional base insert for the case; Figure 4 shows the assembled pallet and the erected, filled and closed case prior to mounting on the pallet; Figure 5 shows the case mounted on the pallet, prior to eversion of the locking mechanisms; Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 5 but shows the locking mechanisms evertcd, to secure the case to the pallet; Figure 7 shows part of a container blank comprising a further locking mechanism embodying the present invention; Figure 8 corresponds to Figure 7, but shows the locking mechanism everted; Figure 9 shows a container lid and a yet further locking mechanism embodying the invention, prior to engagement, and Figure 10 shows the locking mechanism engaged and locked.

The case blank 10 shown in Figure 1 is formed from corrugated paperboard and comprises a front panel 12, a rear panel 14, and end panels 16, 18; all carrying respective top 20 and bottom 22 closure flaps. Cuts are formed in the bottom flaps 22 to delineate support feet formed by pairs of panels 24, 26, continuous with the case side and end panels. A locking is mechanism 28 is formed in each foot. A glue flap 30 attached to the free edge of the rear panel 14 is securable to the free edge of the end panel 16 to make the blank into a tubular structure. This may be erected in the usual way to provide a rectangular interior section and the bottom 22 and top 20 flaps folded inwards and secured to form the base and top closures for the case 36. The base insert 32 may be placed in the bottom of the case to cover the holes in the bottom flaps 22 left by the foot panels 24, 26 if required.

A number (five, say) of deck blanks 34 likewise formed of corrugated paperboard are laminated together to form a strong and stiff pallet deck. To one face of the deck, one at each corner, four spacer blocks 40 are secured, e.g. by gluing or stapling. Ahernatively, the spacer blocks may be secured to the deck by "Interlock 5" plastics fasteners, available from Item Products (NPD) Limited, 101 Park Street, Luton, Beds LU1 3HG, UK. The spacer blocks may be formed from wood or as hollow plastics mouldings. The deck blanks are provided with a shallow cut-out 42 at each corner, which accommodate the case feet (compare Figures 4 and 5). The combined height of the pallet deck and support blocks is at least as great as the height of the case feet, so that the weight of the case is at least partly supported by the pallet when the base of the case lies on top of the pallet deck (see Figure 5).

Referring to Figure 4, the pairs of panels 24, 26 making up the case feet form depending corner parts of the case. The fold lines 44 between the case front, rear and side panels also form the common edge of the foot panels 24, 26. A cut 46 is made through each corner, normal to the fold lines 44, and therefore having ends extending into the foot panels 24, 26, parallel to the case bottom. These cuts are offset from the bottom of the case by the thickness of the pallet deck. A hinge line 48 runs from the end of each cut, parallel to the common edge or fold line 44, to the free bottom edge of the panel 24 or 26. The two hinge lines 48 and the cut 46 in each depending corner or foot of the case delimit an evertable locking feature 28.

With the base of the case resting on the pallet deck and the case feet or depending corners received in the cut outs 42 (see Figure 5), the locking features 28 may be "popped in" or everted, as shown in Figure 6. The case 36 is thereby securely fixed to the pallet 38.

Figure 7 shows an alternative form of the evertable locking feature 28, in which the hinge lines 48 meet the corner common edge or fold line 44 at the point 52. The cut is angled at the fold line 44 so as to comprise parts 46a and 46b in the respective panels. The ends of the cut 46a, 46b meet the other ends of the hinge lines 48 at substantially a right angle. Figure 8 shows the locking formation with the panels folded to form the corner, and the locking formation popped in or everted to its locking position. The centre part of the cut 46a, 46b is provided with a cut out 50 which helps to ease the locking formation underneath the panel which it is locking into position. The locking formation may be provided with an additional crease 52 to ease the eversion process.

Figure 9 shows a locking feature 28 standing up from one corner of the rim of an open-topped container formed from foldable sheet material, e.g. a document storage box made from corrugated paperboard. The formation 28 is everted and then inserted through a W-shaped slot 58 formed adjacent a depending border 59 at a corresponding corner of the container lid 56 (arrow A). Once the lid is properly filled so as to rest on the rim of the container with the formation 28 projecting through the slot 58, the formation 28 is uneverted as shown in Figure 10 (see also arrow B, Figure 9), to lock the lid in place. In this position, the formation 28 can also serve as a stacking ledge for retaining another similar container

S

stably on top of the lid 56. For a better fit, the container may taper slightly from top to bottom; or the bottom region of the container 54 may be tapered, e.g. by corner pleats 60.

The locking features 28 may be provided at one diagonally opposed pair of the container corners only. The other diagonal pair may be provided with upstanding fixed formations, receivable through corresponding L-shaped slots in the lid 56. One such fixed formation may accommodate a glue flap (similar to flap 30 in Figure 1) used to secure the sides of the container in tubular form. However the invention is also applicable to hand erectable container blanks.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A locking mechanism comprising a pair of panels of foldable sheet material connected along a common edge to form a corner; the corner being transversely cut and the panels being formed with hinge lines defining an evertable locking feature.
2. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which the hinge lines comprise creases or score lines.
3. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 or 2 in which the hinge lines run one in each of the panels.
4. A locking mechanism as defined in any of claims 1-3 in which the transverse cut interconnects ends of the hinge lines.
5. A locking mechanism as defined in any one preceding claim in which the transverse cut is substantially straight in each panel.
6. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 5 in which the transverse cut runs substantially normal to the common edge; the hinge lines running substantially parallel to the common edge.
7. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 5 in which the hinge lines meet at a point on the common edge, the ends of the transverse cut meeting the other ends of the hinge lines at substantially a right angle.
8. A locking mechanism as defined in any preceding claim in which the locking mechanism is evertable to protrude adjacent to a movable or removable panel, to retain that panel in position relative to the pair of panels.
9. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 8 in which the movable or removable panel comprises a pallet deck.
10. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 9 in which the pallet deck comprises laminated paperboard.
11. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 9 or 10 in which the pair of panels comprises depending corner parts of a case or hood which is to be secured to the pallet deck.
12. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 11 in which the case or hood comprises such a depending corner part at each lower corner.
13. A locking mechanism as defined in any one of claims 1-7 which may be passed through a slot formed in a movable or removable panel, and everted or uneverted to secure the pair of panels to the movable or removable panel.is
14. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 13 in which the movable or removable panel comprises a container lid or closure flap.
15. A locking mechanism as defined in claim 13 or 14 in which the secured locking mechanism comprises a retaining ledge for a further container stacked on top of the lid or closure flap.
16. Assembled or as a kit of parts: a) a container formed from foldable sheet material and comprising integral support feet, and b) a pallet or base which when assembled with the container at least partially relieves the weight carried by the integral support feet.
17. The container and pallet/base of claim 16, in which the pallet comprises a deck comprising foldable sheet material.
18. The container and pallet/base of claim 16 or 17, and a locking mechanism as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12 by which the container and pallet/base are securable together.