GB2494431A - Box divider - Google Patents

Abstract

Box divider 28 comprising a foldable sheet having a combination of cut lines 20, 22 and fold lines 14, 16, 18, comprising two parallel fold lines 14 extending from one edge of the sheet to the opposite edge whereby the sheet can be folded into a generally U-shaped section. Perpendicular fold line 16 extends between parallel fold lines 14. Two angular fold lines 18 extend at an angle of about 45° away from parallel fold lines 14, each towards a respective end of the divider 28 from a respective point of intersection of the perpendicular fold line 16 with the respective parallel fold line 14. Fold lines 18 extend only part way towards the ends of the sheet. Preferably the sheet is made of cardboard, fibreboard or plastics which may comprise corrugations which preferably run perpendicular to the fold line. The sheet may be treated for moisture or fire resistance or coated for other purposes. Finger cut out 24 may be provided along cut line 22. The present invention also provides a divider comprising of at least two dividers and a second box divider smaller that the first, fitted into one of the divided sections of the box or crate.

Description

I

Box Divider The present invention relates to a box divider, and in particular a box divider for dividing a crate or box into two or more sections, There are many situations where crates or boxes are used. Such crates (or boxes) typically comprise a single space into which articles can be loaded. Such crates are often used by supermarkets for moving products around the supermarket or within the supply chain, i.e. between suppliers and the supermarkets, or during home delivery of shopping to homes. Often, however, the goods to be transported are either insufficient in number or too small to fill the crate, whereby crates are frequently used inefficiently due to under filling thereof, or by mixing goods within the crate, whereby additional time is required by the shelf stackers to stack shelves, or to re-sort the goods into their respective groups for stacking on the shelves. Further, goods can be damaged if allowed to move in the crate. This can particularly occur during home delivery, where products are bagged up and loaded into the crates directly, and often inefficiently.

In addition to that, there is a growing demand from consumers for reduced volumes of packaging on the goods themselves. Therefore, the items again take up less space in the crates, and thus again the problem of mixing or damage of goods within the crates is occurring more frequently.

It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a mechanism for dividing a crate or box into more than one section, whereby the above issues can be at least partially addressed.

According to the present invention there is provided a box divider comprising: a foldable sheet of material having a combination of cut lines and fold lines, the combination comprising: two parallel fold lines extending from one edge of the foldable sheet to the opposite edge whereby the foldable sheet can be folded into a generally U-shaped section; a perpendicular fold line extending between the two parallel fold lines; and two angular fold lines extending at an angle of about 45° away from the parallel fold lines, each towards a respective end of the box divider from a respective point of intersection of the perpendicular fold line with the respective parallel fold line, these angular fold lines extending only part way towards the respective ends of the foldable sheet.

Preferably the foldable sheet is made of cardboard or fibreboard, or a plastics materials.

The foldable sheet may comprise corrugations.

The foldable sheet is preferably either a corrugated cardboard sheet or a corrugated fibreboard sheet.

With a corrugated sheet, preferably the corrugations run parallel to the perpendicular fold line.

The sheet may be treated for moisture resistance, or for fire resistance, or it may be coated for other purposes. A moisture resisting coating is useful when goods to be loaded into the crate are either wet or refrigerated/frozen.

Preferably the angular fold lines terminate at a respective cut line which extends back towards the respective parallel fold line from which the angular fold line extends. That cut line preferably extends in a direction to intersect the respective parallel fold line in a position that is more distal from the start point of the angular cut line than the opposite end of that angular fold line.

Preferably the cut lines each extend perpendicular to the respective angular fold line, or at 45° to the parallel fold lines.

Preferably the cut lines each meet a further cut line at the respective parallel fold line, the further cut line extending between the two parallel fold lines.

The cut lines and the angular fold lines are typically symmetrical to one another.

The further cut line could be a tagged cut line, i.e. a cut line having small tags (or perforations) thereon that need to be broken prior to deployment of the divider of the box divider -the divider is formed by the cut lines, the perpendicular fold line and the angular fold lines. However, preferably it is a clean cut so the visible top of the divider, once deployed, will be smooth.

The divider is deployed by displacement out of the plane of the foldable sheet, and folding thereof about the perpendicular fold line. This then serves to draw up the ends of the foldable sheet into their U-shaped configuration, thereby making the divider very quick and easy to deploy.

Preferably a finger cut-out is provided at a location positioned along the further cut line.

The finger cut-out may take the form a semi-circular cut-out. The semi-circular cut-out may also have tags or perforations for retaining the fabric thereof within the plane of the foldable sheet until pushed out therefrom by a user, but usually it will be stripped out of the sheet during manufacture. The finger cut out facilitates the grasping of the edge of the divider, at the further cut line, for assisting with deploying the divider into its upright (deployed) position.

Preferably the parallel fold lines each have a section thereof for defining an end of the divider once lifted out of the plane of the foldable sheet. Preferably that section takes the form of intermittent cuts and creases. By the provision of cuts and creases, rather than just creases, the section of the parallel fold line will be both foldable and precisely defined -in terms of defining an edge for the divider -by means of the sharp edges of the cuts. Those sharp edges of the sections of the parallel fold lines, upon folding the divider into its deployed position, can then fit snugly between the upturned ends of the foldable sheet (as the sheet is formed into its U-shaped section, whereby in use the sharp edges can frictionally engage against the lifted ends of the foldable sheet. As a result, the divider will have a greater tendency to retain itself in its upright, deployed condition upon locating the box divider within a box or crate (i.e. one in which the divider is sized to fit, whereby the crate or box keeps the foldable sheet in its U-shaped configuration.

The present invention also provides a box or crate containing therein a box divider as defined above.

The present invention also provides a method of moving products within, into or from a shop or warehouse comprising: providing a box or crate and a box divider as defined above; deploying a divider of the box divider, as defined by the fold lines and cut lines, by folding the divider out of the plane of the unfolded foldable sheet and folding the sides of the foldable sheet into the U-shaped configuration; and inserting the box divider into the box or crate prior to loading the box or crate with products.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a box or crate as defined above divided into sections using a box divider as defined above and comprising a second box divider, smaller than the first box divider, the second box divider being fitted into one of the divided sections of the box or crate to further divide the box or crate.

The present invention also provides a box divider as defined above comprising at least two dividers, two or more of the dividers each being defined by a separate set of a perpendicular fold line and two separate angular fold lines, and a common pair of parallel fold lines.

Preferably one divider of a box divider as defined above is provided with its perpendicular fold line centrally positioned on the sheet relative to the two parallel fold lines.

Preferably the angular fold lines of at least one divider, and any cut lines provided for interacting therewith, terminate no further than halfway towards the respective ends of the foldable sheet towards which they extend.

Preferably that halfway extension of the fold and cut lines is combined with the provision of the cut lines extending at an opposing 45° relative to the parallel fold lines, whereby the divider, when folded out of the plane of the foldable sheet into its deployed configuration will have a height corresponding to the height of the side walls of the foldable sheet once deployed into its U shape configuration. This therefore provides an aesthetic appearance for the box divider.

The provision of the angular fold lines at the 450 angle is designed to present the divider in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to a base or floor of the box divider, and thus also the box or crate, i.e. once the sides of the foldable sheet have been folded up into the U shaped configuration.

Further uses of the box divider can be marketing space -by using the surfaces thereof as areas for receiving printed marketing material, e.g. advertising. The box dividers can therefore be printed on a surface thereof, or can have a printed layer laminated onto a surface thereof.

The present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, and in further detail! with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cutlscorelcrease layout on a blank of cardboard for forming a box divider in accordance with the present invention, and once so cut/scored/creased, a box divider of the present invention; Figures 2 and 3 show the box divider of Figure 1 in a deployed or assembled configuration as viewed from alternate ends thereof, both as perspective views; Figure 4 shows the assembled box divider in situ within a supermarket food crate; Figure 5 shows an arrangement for an alternative blank in accordance with the present invention for folding into a similar configuration as that of Figure 2, but in which the dimensions are smaller so as to fit within one half of the crate, such as within a divided section shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows the embodiment of Figure 5 being inserted into the crate of Figure 4; Figure 7 shows the divider located within the crate of Figure 4; Figure 8 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in which two dividers are marked onto the box divider, each divider being for dividing the crate into thirds; Figure 9 shows the divider of Figure 8 in use within a crate; Figure 10 shows the divider of Figure 8 in an alternative deployed configuration, wherein only one of the dividers has been deployed; and Figure 11 shows a further embodiment of divider wherein the height of the box divider, once assembled into the U shaped configuration, has shorter or lower side walls.

Referring first of all to Figure 1, there is shown a blank forming a box divider of the present invention. The blank takes the form of a generally rectangular sheet of corrugated cardboard. In this embodiment it has outer dimensions of approximately 687mm by 542mm, and with rounded corners of a radius of 30mm. The blank 30 has a pair of parallel fold lines 14 extending from one side of the blank to the other and are there to allow the blank 30 to be folded into generally U shaped configuration. In that U shape configuration, the box divider of the present invention will be inserted into a crate.

The dimensions between the parallel fold lines and along the length of the parallel fold lines define the size of the crate or box into which the divider is designed to be fitted, and thus can be specified as appropriate. Further, the length between the parallel fold lines 14 and the ends 32 of the blank 30 can be pre-defined to match or fit within the height of the box or crate into which the box divider is to be filled. Typically that length will not exceed the height of the box or crate into which the box divider is to be lifted, and it would not be uncommon for the length -here 170mm, and in the embodiment of Figure 11 110mm, to be less than the height of the box or crate for which the box divider is designed to be filled, since the products to be loaded into the crates or boxes typically will be chosen not to exceed in height the height of the box or crate, since the crates are usually designed to be stackable. Nevertheless, longer ends are possible within the scope of the invention, as are other dimensions to that illustrated.

Extending perpendicularly between the two parallel fold lines there is provided a perpendicular fold line 16. That perpendicular fold line in this preferred embodiment is arranged centrally relative to the two parallel fold lines 14 and it defines the base of a divider 28. The divider 28 will extend from that base when deployed into its upright condition. As such, the location of that perpendicular fold line 16 defines the proportions of the division of the box or crate. By centrally positioning it relative to the parallel fold lines, the box or crate will be divided in half by the divider 28.

Extending from the end 34 of the perpendicular fold line 16 there is provided, at each end, an angular (about 45°) fold line 18. In this embodiment, that angular fold line is formed by way of a plurality of cuts and creases, , e.g. to position cuts at the ridges of corrugations, if desired -the use of cuts and creases rather than just a crease is preferred since it facilitates the tidy folding of the divider into its deployed position -cuts and creases are preferred where a fold line is not running parallel to the corrugations of a corrugated cardboard sheet, although they are not essential, and their specific locations are non essential as well.

As can be seen by the cutaway 36, in this embodiment the corrugations of the cardboard of the foldable sheet 12 extend parallel to the perpendicular fold line. The cuts therefore help to prevent the corrugations from resisting the folding process, or causing an untidy fold.

In this embodiment, the cuts and creases take the form of six cuts and six creases.

However, 7 creases and 6 cuts may be preferred to position creases at the ends of the fold lines (i.e. one more crease than cut), but other numbers are also possible. The cuts and creases extend away from the parallel fold lines at the 45° angIe towards the ends 32 of the blank 30, but only part way towards those ends 32. Those angular fold lines therefore terminate before the ends 32 of the blank. Indeed, it is preferred that they terminate halfway towards the respective end of the blank towards which they extend from the parallel fold lines. In the embodiment of Figure 1 the distance is about 85mm and in the embodiment of Figure lithe distance is about 55mm.

At the point at which those angular fold lines terminate, a cut line 20 commences. That cut line, in this embodiment, extends perpendicular to the angular fold line, whereby it extends at 45° relative to the parallel fold lines and extends straight back towards those parallel fold lines, terminating thereat. That cut line is shown to be straight. However, it could take other shapes and forms, as desired by the customer. It could even be dispensed with if the angular fold lines extend to the sides 31 of the blank 30, i.e. without reaching the ends 32 of that blank 30. However, in this embodiment, the cut lines 20 are provided as straight cut lines at 450 relative to the parallel fold lines.

At the point of intersection of those cut lines 20 with the parallel fold lines 14, a further cut line is provided that extends between the parallel fold lines 14. That further cut line 22 defines a top edge for the divider 28. In this embodiment, that further cut line is a straight line extending parallel to the perpendicular fold line 16, and thus perpendicular to the two parallel fold lines 14. The displacement of that further cut line 22 from the perpendicular fold line 18 also defines the height of the divider, and in this embodiment, that height corresponds to the height of the sides of the box divider, as defined by the distance between the parallel fold lines 14 and the ends 32 of the blank 30. This results in light of the provision of the two lines at 45° to the parallel fold lines, i.e. the angular fold line and the cut line lines 18, 20, and the distance they both extend across from the parallel fold lines 14 towards their respective ends 32 of the blank, as discussed above.

The further cut line 22 is additionally associated with a finger cut out 24. That finger cut out 24 is provided in this example towards the middle of the further cut line 22 and can be pressed out of the plane of the foldable sheet 12 so as to allow a finger to grasp the edge of the divider 28. For that purpose tabs or perforations may be used. Clean cuts might also be used, with the friction between the cut-out and the surrounding hole being enough to hold the cut-out piece in place. In this embodiment, the finger cut out 24 is provided as a semi-circular cut, Further, it is provided on the outside of the divider 28 such that the divider maintains its straight top once deployed.

The final pre-formed cut/creases in the blank 30 are a section of the parallel fold lines 14. This is the section thereof which extends between the perpendicular fold line 16 and the further cut line 22. That section of the parallel fold lines is provided in the form of cuts and creases since it is to define an accurate fold line for the divider 28 so as to allow the divider to be deployed into a condition that is perpendicular to the plane of the blank 30 by combining with the 45° fold lines. The line is also perpendicular to the corrugations, whereby the cuts also facilitate the folding process, without leaving messy edges.

In this example, that section of the parallel fold lines 14 takes the form of ten cuts and ten creases (or ten cuts and eleven creases so as to position a crease at the ends of the section) equally spaced along the length thereof. Other number combinations are also possible, as desired. As a result of the use of cuts and creases, rather than simply creases, precise edges for the divider 28 will be provided, which edges will be able to grip the sides of the box divider, once deployed into its U shape configuration. Further they assist a tidy folding, as discussed above in relation to the angular cuts. This is particularly preferred again since the section of the fold line is running perpendicular to the corrugations. The rest of those parallel fold lines, however, preferably just comprise creases since they want to retain their integral strength so as to provide reuseability for the box divider.

The provision of cut and crease combinations for some of the fold lines, including the angular fold lines and the sections of the parallel fold lines, is optional but preferred for the reasons set out above. Part cuts might also be used Other known methods for predefining fold lines can also be used.

Referring next to Figure 2, it is shown how the divider 28 can be folded up into a deployed configuration, with the ends 32 of the blank 30 pointing upwards relative to the plane of the original blank. Further, that Figure clearly shows the gap left behind by the folding of the divider 28 up and out of the plane of the foldable sheet 12. The finger cut out 24 is also clearly shown.

Figure 3 shows the same arrangement, but from the opposite side. As can be seen, the divider 28 extends perpendicularly upwards from the base 38 of the box divider 10.

Referring next to Figure 4, that same box divider can now be seen within a crate, such as a crate used by supermarkets for product distribution. The crate 42 will typically be of a standard size since such crates are in common use, and the desire to provide dividers therefor is significant. As a result, it is preferred that the blank is sized as defined above, or as defined in the drawings. However, for other boxes and crates, other sized would naturally be more appropriate.

By giving the box divider 10 the specified sizes it will be sized to fit tightly within that crate so as to have its ends 32 held such that they point generally upwards and with the divider likewise extending substantially upwards, i.e. perpendicular to the base 38.

Referring next to FigureS, a smaller version of the box divider 10 of Figure 1 is shown.

In this example, the dimensions of the blank are approximately 350mm by 485mm, with the distance between the parallel fold lines 14 being about 265mm. This therefore allows the ends to have a dimension of 110mm, and likewise the divider to have a height of 110mm. The perpendicular fold line 16 is again positioned centrally and this box divider 10 is designed to fit within one half of the divided crate 40 of Figure 4. It should also fit tightly, so as to hold the sides upright.

Figure 6 shows this second box divider after it has been assembled into its U shape, deployed, configuration and being ready for placement within one half of the crate 40 and Figure 7 shows it once fitted therein. This second box divider therefore splits one half of the crate into half again, thereby defining two crate quarters. A further similar box divider may be provided to fit in the other half. Smaller dividers might then even be provided to divide those quarters.

Referring next to Figure 8, a further embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which two dividers 28 are provided on the box divider. For each divider 28, parallel fold lines 14, a perpendicular fold line 16 and angular fold lines 18 are provided. Yet further, cut lines 20, further cut lines 22 and finger cut-outs 24 are all provided. Yet further, the orientation of the corrugation is unchanged -it still runs parallel to the perpendicular fold line.. However, instead of the divider being designed to fold up from the middle of the blank, in this embodiment the two dividers 28 are designed to fold up in a manner that divides a crate into thirds. Each perpendicular fold line 16 is therefore provided one third of the way along the parallel fold lines 14 from the sides 31 of the blank 30, i.e. approximately 180mm from the sides thereof -the cut lines and fold lines for the two dividers are provided symmetrically on the blank relative to the centre thereof. This means that the further cut lines 22 are positioned closer to the sides 31 of the blank 30 than the first embodiment. However, they are still spaced away therefrom by a distance of 70mm, which is adequate to retain structural integrity.. The folded blank, once in its boxed divider configuration, is therefore still structurally stable even once both dividers have been deployed in a crate -the direction of orientation of the corrugations assists with that since that causes the stiffness of the corrugation to be greatest along the length of those remaining edges, whereby compressing the box divider 10 into a crate is less likely to buckle those remaining edges/side portions 42 of the box divider 10.

Figure 9 shows the box divider 10 of Figure 8 in situ within a similar crate to that of Figure 4. As can be seen, the two dividers 28 divide the crate into three roughly equally sized and shaped sections.

With this embodiment, in view of the use of two dividers, it is preferred to make the dividers less tall so as to ensure that the side portions 42 remain sufficiently stable upon inserting the box divider into the crate 40 -the side portions get smaller if the dividers 28 are taller. As a result, the height of the box divider is lower than the height of the crate.

Other positions for the dividers, and different numbers of dividers, are also possible.

A further mode of deployment of this final embodiment of box divider is shown in Figure 10. As can be seen, it is an option to deploy only one of the dividers 28. This allows a large area and a small area to be defined within the crate 40.

The present invention has therefore been described with reference to the accompanying drawings purely by way of example. Modifications in detail may be made to the invention within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMS: 1. A box divider comprising: a foldable sheet of material having a combination of cut lines and fold lines, the combination comprising: two parallel fold lines extending from one edge of the foldable sheet to the opposite edge whereby the foldable sheet can be folded into a generally U-shaped section; a perpendicular fold line extending between the two parallel fold lines; and two angular fold lines extending at an angle of about 45° away from the parallel fold lines, each towards a respective end of the box divider from a respective point of intersection of the perpendicular fold line with the respective parallel fold line, these angular fold lines extending only part way towards the respective ends of the foldable sheet.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A box divider according to claim 1, wherein the foldable sheet is made of cardboard.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A box divider according to claim 1, wherein the foldable sheet is made of fibreboard.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, the foldable sheet comprising corrugations that run parallel to the perpendicular fold line.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the angular fold lines terminate at a respective cut line which extends back towards the respective parallel fold line from which the angular fold line extends.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A box divider according to claim 5, wherein the cut lines each extend perpendicular to the respective angular fold line.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A box divider according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the cut lines each meet a further cut line at the respective parallel fold line, the further cut line extending between the two parallel fold lines.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A box divider according to claim 7, wherein a finger cut-out is provided at a location positioned along the further cut line.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the parallel fold lines each have a section thereof for defining an end of a divider that is defined by the fold lines and cut lines.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A box divider according to claim 9, wherein those sections take the form of intermittent cuts and creases.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least two dividers, two or more of the dividers each being defined by a separate set of a perpendicular fold line and two separate angular fold lines, and a common pair of parallel fold lines.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one divider of the box divider is provided with its perpendicular fold line centrally positioned on the sheet relative to the two parallel fold lines.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the angular fold lines of at least one divider, and any cut lines provided for interacting therewith, terminate no further than halfway towards the respective ends of the foldable sheet towards which they extend.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, having printed material on a surface thereof.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. A box divider according to any one of the preceding claims, the material of the foldable sheet being coated with a moisture resisting coating.</claim-text> <claim-text>16. A box divider substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.</claim-text> <claim-text>17. A box or crate containing therein a box divider according to any one of the preceding claims 18. A box or crate according to claim 17, divided into sections using the box divider and comprising a second box divider, smaller than the first box divider, the second box divider being fitted into one of the divided sections of the box or crate to further divide the box or crate.19. A method of moving products within, into or from a shop or warehouse comprising: providing a box or crate and a box divider according to any one of claims 1 to 16; deploying a divider of the box divider, as defined by the fold lines and cut lines, by both folding the divider out of the plane of the unfolded foldable sheet and folding the sides of the foldable sheet into the U-shaped configuration; and inserting the box divider into the box or crate prior to then loading the box or crate with products to be moved.20. A method of dividing a crate or box, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>