IL30986A - Blow moulded plastic container - Google Patents

Description

BLOW MOULDED PLASTIC OOMIAIHER maa -p^nna isina p gp^g loino ?iafr V73 The invention also provides a method of making a box with two lid leaves comprising blow-moulding a closed ho^ow one-piece plastics body i the shape of a box having a bottom and four peripheral walls and two Integrally formed lids inclined with respect to the bottom of the box to positions corresponding to partially open conditions and joining together by a U-shaped con iguration, indenting two opposite peripheral walls of the box where each of the lids meets the wall, and cutting the lids from the other two peripheral walls and from each another along the bottom line of the U-shaped configuration.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a cross-section in elevation taken along the median line of a blow-moulded hollow body relating to a box with one lid leaf; Fig. 2 shows a front view of the hollow body shown in r Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the box shown in Pigs. 1 and 2, in section taken along the hinge line, after the horizontal cutting for separating the lid from the body of the box has been effected, with /diagrammatic indications Fig* 12 shows a front view in elevation f the hollow body shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 13 shows a plan view of the hollow body shown . in Fig. 10 dissected in relation to the hinge lines of the lid to illustrate diagrammatically; the manner in , I ■ j s which the hinge connections are formed and the lid separated A from the body. ' / \ Ί " Ί Fig. 14 shows, in cooss-section, the box derived from the hollow body in Fig. 10 with the leaves of the closed lid and indicating the contents of the box; Fig, 15 shows a diagrammatic representation in detail of the position of a leaf of the lid, when it is in the closed position, with respect to the support wall, according to. the section A-A* in Fig. 11; ; Fig. 16 shows detailed representation oP the reciprocal position of the elements constituting the closure catch of the lid, in the working position, according to the section Β-Β· in Fig. 11, and Fig. 17 is a representation in cross-section of a box for bottles in a further embodiment of the invention, with a lid with two asymmetrical lesves.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a hollow body for a box with a lid with a single leaf, which body is obtained by blow-moulding. The body provides a lid 1 inclined to a certain extent with regard to a horizontal base 2, for purposed, which will be explained later, a small face 3 substantially perpendicular to the lid 1 and connected to a front vertical by a rib 8 which extends intermittently around the , entire periphery of the lid 1 (as may be seen in Fig, 6) and functions both as a stiffening for the lid and as an aligning element for the box in stacking. In this second function the rib 8 mates with a cavit 9 provided along the periphery of the base 2. The latter, for simplicity, is indicated as a simple flat layer, but in reality could have inner mouldings, reinforcing ribs and, on the outside, projections serving as support feet.

Fig. 2, which is a front view of the hollow body shown in Fig, 1, shows the profile of end walls 10 and 11 of the box, which walls are connected to the base 2 through the moulding 9 and are connected to the lid 1 in the following manner: the oblique part 6 which unites the small face 3 with the front wall 5 of the box (Fig. 1) , extends horizontally also along the end walls 10 and 11, at such a height with respect to the inclined plane as to form two substantially triangular surfaces 12 and 13 which serve as side-pieces of the lid 1. The triangular side-pieces 12 and 13 and the small face 3 project, with respect to the walls 10, 11 and 5 to the extent necessary to allow the subsequent overlapping of the former over the latter (in the position of the box with the lid closed) Fig. 2 also shows the position of two pairs of projections on the ahllow body, namely projections 14 and 14' moulded in the limits of the small face 3, and corresponding smaller projections 15 and 15' in the wall 5 (see the profile in Fig, l) , which have the function of will be explained in greater detail later.

The operations to, which the above-mentioned hollow body is subjected to make the lid of the finished box movable, are simple mechanical operations , which it is possible to perform automatically on a conti taaa production line, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3s 1. A horizontal cut 16, along the entire extent, of the oblique part 6 on the front wall 5 and on the lateral walls 10 and 11, also extending along a small part of both the ends of the rear wall 7, which is cariied out by a circular saw 17, or other suitable means, of such a width as to remove completely the oblique part 6, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. The extension of the cut along the ends of the hinge walls is determined for obvious reasons to facilitate the successive articulation of the lid in relation to the overlapping of the triangular side-pieces of the lid on the heads of the box. The cutting on three sides can be effected automatically, either in three successive stages or simultaneously. 2. Formation of a hinge 18 oh the rear wall 7, along the. line between the two ends of the cut 16, preferably by means of a guided cutter 19 which removes part of the material along the said line for a sufficient depth so that the thin layer of material 18 left is a¾f£iciently flexible and at the same time strong enough for its function as the hinge of the lid 1.

The guided cutefeer 19, which is preferable because it makes it possible to work in simple manner from the should be provided with suitable means for controlling the depth of penetration into the. material and for , causing the tool to follow any possible irregularities or deflections in the wall 7, which may occur in the blown material* Other means for the formation of the hinge effect can be the pressing of the hinge line between pressure rollers for making the material thin, or the use of other suitable means for indenting the material along the hinge line* However the invention is not restricted., in the respect, When the above operations have been completed, and independently of other mechanical operations for the conditioning of the base and walls for the use for which the bo is intended the box can be closed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Pig. 5 is cross-section along the line A-A' in Fig. 6, at. a point where the rib 8 is interrupted and the lid 1 extends horizontally until it is directly connected to the small face 3. In the closed position of lid 1, the side-pieces 12, 13 and tt.e small face 3 of the lid 1 are overlapped in respect of the. walls 10, 11 and 5 and the lid 1,, resting positively on the upper edge of the vertical walls 10, 11 and 5 at all those points where it extends horizontally (the rib 8 being interrupted) , is situated, horizontally, that is parallel to the base 2.

The parallelepipedal form of the box is achieved only on complete closure of the lid.

When the lid is completely ixed down on the box, there also takes place the latching of the closure catch ' ' which is the smaller, yieldably latching the lid in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 8.

The position of the two closure catches of the lid as shown in the example illustrated (Figs. 2 and 6) is not obligatory. In fact, if desired, the closure can be limited to a single central catch on the wall 5, rather than two laterally spaced ones, and in such a ease the catch is situated at a place where the lid 1 is delimited by the beading 8, to which the projection 14 is directly joined, as shown in Fig. 9. In other words, the closure catches, conceived in the manner indicated, can be variably positioned on the box.

The box described, as is now evident, can be easily opened along the hinge 18 and reclosed by latching it in positio with one or more of the closure devices described. The closed box is completely rigid on account of the ribbing 8 of the lid and of the positive support of the latter on the lateral and front walls ot the points where, lacking the ribbing, the lid is flat. Furthermore the box is stackable inasmuch as the base 2 with peripheral cavities 9 fits into the lid 1 and the ribbing 8 of the box beneath it, ensuring the alignment of the stacked boxes, without any possibility of them sliding.

The feature of stackability, as described, is of course not considered as separate, but as a consequence of the ( ■ . . . . process of moulding boxes with a lid which can be opened and closed directly from a flow-moulded hollow body, inasmuch as the process itself makes it possible to keep the feature of stackability despite the presence of the lid.

It will be understood that the lid is not limited to the form described, it being possible for the lid to vary either in design or in the position and extension of the hinge t the ribbing 8 can in fact be varied in form and positi or completely omitted and the hinge could be formed on one short side rather than one long one* Furthermore the lid can be formed with two leaves as in the box now to be described and intended to be used for packaging bottles.

Pigi 10 shows in partial section a lateral view of a hollow body obtained by blow-moulding, for a box with a lid with two similar leaves. The upper part constitutes the lid and is formed from two leaves 20, 20', mutually inclined, with the highest part at the centre of the box where the leaves are connected by a aavity of substantially V-shape formed from curved flaps 21 and 21', respectively connected to the leaves 20 and 20' joined to each other by a bottom 36 at the base of the cavity.

At their lower ends, the leaves 20 and 20' are connected, by ribbing 22 to longitudinal vertical vails 23 and 24.

A base 25, in addition to the shaping for the positioning of bottles, which does not form part of the present invention, has a peripheral moulding 26, which acts &$a complementary element to the ribbing 22 in the stacking of the boxes.

In Fig. 11 there can be seen in plan the two leaves 20 and 20' connected to the small separating base 36, and the ribbing 22 which as will be observed, is intermittent. Moreover there may be seen the position of the pairs of projections 28, 29 and 28', 29' (Fig. 12) , respectively on the ends 31 and 30, for the formation of fou closure catches of the lid (two for each of the leaves 20 and 20') in a suitable position to ensure a good closure of the leaves themselves on the body of the box.

Similarly for the box and for a leaf, the ribbing 22 extends continuously on the hinge side of the leaves 20 and 20' and" intermittently along the remaining part of the periphery of the lid, that is along the short sides of the leaves 20 and 20'. The leaves 20 and 20· extend (Fig. 12) beyond the outer edge of the end wells 30 and 31 for the reasons already described for the lid with a single leaf and are delimited vertical tnangular side-pieces 32, 32', and 33, 33' (Figs. 10 and 12) in turn connected respectively to the walls 30 and 31 of the oblique parts 34' and 34.

From the explanation given it will be observed that all the elements of the hollow body (plane of the inclined lid, projecting side-pieces of the lid, oblique parts, ribbings, leaf are present in the bo with two leaves although occasionally they are displaced in position with regard to the periphery of the box and sometimes doubled in number, in order to provide for articulation of the -two leaves of the lid. The pairs of projections 28, 29 and 28', 29' for the closures catch of the lid, in the actual example they are four i number, are also identical in form and in reciprocal position between the body of the lid and the body of the box to those indicated with the reference numerals 14 and 15 in Pig. 7 for the box with a single leaf and the description of those with all the effects applies also for the closure catches of the box with a lid having two leaves. The only difference is their position, here being situated on the sides of the box, while in the box with a single leaf they are situated on the front side.

The process for making the hollow body described, which is obtained from the blow-mould, into a finished box of parallelepipedal form working with a lid with two leaves, is as follows (Pig. 13) « 1. Vertical cut with a circular saw 35 or other suitable means along the base 36 joining the connections 21, 21· between the leaf .20 and the leaf 20', so as to completely remove the material (Pig. 10) constituting the base 36 for the separation of the leaf 20 from the leaf 20' and of the respective triangular side-pieces 32, 33 from the side-pieces 32', 33', up to the limit of the oblique parts 34' and 34 on the ends 30 and 31 of the box. means along the entire end 30 in accordance with the oblique part 34* (Fig. 12) , so as to completely remove the oblique par 34' with a similar operation and with the s me devices already described for the box with a single leaf (the cutthg of which, in that case, extended along the three sides of the box) &nd identical horizontal cut with a saw 38 or other suitable means along the end 31 in accordance with the oblique part 34, so as to produce the separation of the elements constituting the lid from the body of the box, Of course, ia an automatic cycle these two operations for cutting the oblique parts 34 and 34* can be effected simultaneously. These cuts extend briefly along the hinge walls 23 and 24, for the reasons already explained. 3. Formation (Fig. 13) of a hinge 39 on the wall 23 and of a hinge 40 on the wall 24 in the stretch intervening between respective ends of the horizontal cuts with which the oblique parts 34 and 34' on the ends 31 and 30 were removed, preferably by means of guided cutters 41 and 42 or other suitable mechanical means already mentioned for the same operation on the box with a lid with a single leaf In this case also, in an automatic cycle the two milling operations or the formation of the two hinges could be effected simultaneously.

Of course in the practical performance of the method described, the order of succession of the operations can be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

With these operations, the leaves 20 and 20' con* stitutin the hinged lid are formed independently of each other and ready fo use. the box, in fact, pan be closed to Obtain the rectangular parallelepipedal form, as shown in Pig. 14, where by way of example, there are also shown bottles in their position in respect of the lid. Thauleaves 20 and 20' of the lid are free to be lowered until they reach the horizontal position touching at the centre with the flaps 21 and 21', inasmuch as the triangular small faces 32, 32* and 33, 33', which peoject with regard to the respective end walls 30 and 31 (Pig. 12),, can overlap the walls 30 and 31 themselves. This is better illustrated in Pig. 15, which is a section in accordance with the line A-A' in Pig. 11» The leaf 30' is flat at this point and rests on the edge of the wall 31, determining the horizontal position of the leaf 20' (that is, parallel to the base 25). In this position the triangular small face 33* overlaps the wall 31, ensuring a firm closure of the lid.

In this type of box purposely designed for a certain type of bottle, the bottles themselves are of such a height (Fig. 14) as to form with their closure caps, inner support points fo the leaves 20 and 20V of the lid, with the purpose of ensuring a practical and efficient stacking of the boxes in most economical manner possible.

This feature of the cooperation between the bottles and the lid is of great practical importance, even if it is not an essential feature of the invention; in fact whenever certain usage conditions of the box require it, the support of the leaves 20 and 20' in the stacking could also be from the base and from the lid.

The stability and alignment of the stacked boxes is • * ' ί ensured by the mating of, the ribbings 22 of the lid with tbaemouldings 26 on the base: this feature also, as already stated for the box with a single leaf, is useful and desirable, but not essential* for the effects of the present ; ■ ■ invention. „ ' _ ( The latching of the leaves 20 and 20» in the closed position takes place (Fig. 11) as a consequence of the projections 28, 29 (two pairs on the end wall 31), and 28', 29·' (two pairs on the end wall 30) provided in the blow-moulded hollow body. The mechanism is identical with that already explained (Fig. 7) for the box with a single leaf. In the present case,, the detailed illistration is given in Fig. 16, which is a section in accordance with the line B-B' in Fig. 11. The larger pocket 28 in the body of the lid is separated from the smaller pocket 29 in the body of the box (Fig. 12) in the horizontal cutting effected between the lid and the body of the box along the obliqueaparts 34 and 34': in such a way that in the closing of the lid, that is when the leaf 20' (or 20) reaches the horizontal position the larger pocket 28 (Fig. 16) automatically overlaps the smaller pocket 29, on the end wall 31, locking the leaf 20' (or 20) of the lid in the closed position.

AH the modifications relating to the positioning \ of the closure catch discussed for the box with a single leaf, that is, its position segarding the ribbing on the lid or on the periphery of the box, also apply to the lid In the box just described, the separation line between the two leaves is situated longitudinally to the centre of the box. Of course this could be situated transversely, so as to obtain boxes with two leaves hinged on the' short sides rather than on the long sides.

Furthermore, the separation line of the two leaves could also be arranged in a non-central position (either in longitudinal direction or in transverse direction) , thus obtaining a box with a lid with two asymmetrical leaves, as in the box shown in Fig* 17, which represents a fur or embodiment of the present invention, in which the following differences are evident with respect to the embodiment just illustrated} - the separation lino 43 (Fig. 17) between the two leaves is displaced in relation .to the centre of the box and therefore forms two unequal leaves which make it possible to cover three bottles with the larger leaf and two bottles with the smaller leaf with the object of having an odd number of bottles contained in the box (for example 25): - absence of the peripheral ribbing on the lid and of the corresponding moulding around the base intended for the lining together of the boxes in the stacking and substitution of these elements b projections 44 on the lid and recesses 45 on the base, in accordance with an already extensively used system, for exploiting to a maximum the capacity of the bottles in the box.

As for the especially with regard to the hinge and the closure catches of the leaves of the lid, the box is substantially as ddscribed in the prefexned form of In general although there have been and described only a few embodiments of t it is evident that numerous modi ications without departing from the scope of the i defined in the appended claims.

Claims (3)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS l

1. Δ method of making' a plastics box with a single lid leaf, comprising blow-moulding a closed hollov one-piece plastics body in the shape of a box having a bottom and four peripheral walls and an integrally formed lid inclined with respect to the bottom of the box to a position corresponding to a partially open condition, indenting one peripheral wall of the box where the lid meets the wall, and cutting the lid from the other three peripheral walls of the box.

2. A method of making a plastics box with two lid leaves, comprising blow-moulding a closed hollow one-piece plastics body in the shape of a box having a bottom and four peripheral walls and two integrally formed lids inclined w th respect to the bottom of the box to positions corresponding to partially open conditions and joining together b a U-shaped configuration, indenting two opposite peripheral walls of the box where each of the lids meets jtjhe wall, and cutting the lids from the other two peripheral walls and from each another alogg the bottom line of the U-shaped configuration.

3. A method of making a plastics box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. P.O. Box 33116, Tel Aviv Attorneys for Applicant.