JP2024075181A - Tray and blank of tray - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a tray capable of improving insertion workability of an insertion piece into an insertion groove, and to provide a blank of the tray.SOLUTION: A tray 10 includes a bottom plate 11, a pair of first side plates 12, a pair of second side plates 13, insertion grooves 17 provided on the first side plates 12, and insertion pieces 22 inserted in the insertion grooves 17. Between the bottom plate 11 and the first side plate 12, there are provided a main folding part 25 and a pair of triangular inclined parts 26 inclined with respect to the bottom plate 11 and the first side plate 12. The inclined part 26 is constituted by: an inside folding part 27 extending to the inside in a first direction X from an end part 25a of the main folding part 25 toward the outside in a second direction Y; an outside folding part 28 extending to the outside in the first direction X from the end part 25a of the main folding part 25 toward the outside in the second direction Y; and a punching part 29 extending from an outside end part of the inside folding part 27 in the second direction Y to the outside end part of the outside folding part 28 in the second direction Y so as to be connected to the insertion groove 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to trays and tray blanks.

Patent Document 1 discloses a connection structure for the corners of a cardboard tray that includes a flat plate, a pair of first side plates connected to both ends of the flat plate in the width direction, and a pair of second side plates connected to both ends of the flat plate in the length direction. This connection structure includes an insertion groove provided in the first side plate and an insertion piece connected to the second side plate. The insertion groove includes a first portion extending from the flat plate side to the tip side of the first side plate, and a second portion connected to the tip of the first portion and extending in a direction away from the second side plate. With this connection structure, the first side plate and the second side plate are each folded relative to the flat plate, and the insertion piece folded relative to the second side plate is inserted into the insertion groove to form a tray.

JP 2009-51561 A

In the connection structure of Patent Document 1, when inserting the insertion piece into the insertion groove, it is necessary to press the outside of the insertion groove inward in the first side plate to create gaps (steps) on both sides of the insertion groove, and then insert the insertion piece through the gaps. Therefore, the connection structure of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of ease of inserting the insertion piece into the insertion groove.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a tray and a tray blank that can improve the ease of inserting the insertion pieces into the insertion grooves.

One aspect of the present invention is a device comprising a bottom plate extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, a pair of first side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the first direction and extending upward in a third direction intersecting both the first direction and the second direction, a pair of second side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the second direction and extending upward, a slit-shaped insertion groove provided on both sides of the first side plate in the second direction and having a portion penetrating the first side plate and extending at least in the third direction, and an insertion piece connected to both ends of the second side plate in the first direction and inserted from the outside to the inside of the first side plate through the insertion groove, Between the side plates, a main bent portion extending in the second direction and a pair of inclined portions are provided, which are located in a portion corresponding to the lower side of the insertion groove, are connected to the ends of the main bent portion, and are inclined in a triangular shape with respect to the bottom plate and the first side plate. The inclined portions are composed of an inner bent portion extending inward in the first direction from the end of the main bent portion toward the outside in the second direction, an outer bent portion extending outward in the first direction from the end of the main bent portion toward the outside in the second direction, and a punched portion extending from the outer end of the inner bent portion in the second direction to the outer end of the outer bent portion in the second direction, penetrating the bottom plate and the first side plate and connected to the insertion groove.

Another aspect of the present invention is a device that includes a bottom plate extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, a pair of first side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the first direction, a pair of second side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the second direction, a slit-shaped insertion groove provided on both sides of the first side plate in the second direction and having a portion that penetrates the first side plate and extends in at least the first direction, and an insertion piece connected to both ends of the second side plate in the first direction and inserted from the outside to the inside of the first side plate through the insertion groove, and a main fold line extending in the second direction between the bottom plate and the first side plate, and a main fold line extending in the second direction between the bottom plate and the A tray blank is provided in which a main fold line extending in the second direction and a pair of triangular inclined portions located in a portion of the insertion groove corresponding to the first direction and connected to the end of the main fold line are provided between the first side plates, and the inclined portions are composed of an inner fold line extending inward in the first direction from the end of the main fold line toward the outside in the second direction, an outer fold line extending outward in the first direction from the end of the main fold line toward the outside in the second direction, and a punched portion extending from the outer end of the inner fold line in the second direction to the outer end of the outer fold line in the second direction, penetrating the bottom plate and the first side plate and connected to the insertion groove.

Between the bottom plate and the first side plate, a triangular inclined portion is provided at a position corresponding to the insertion groove, and the inclined portion is composed of an inner bent portion extending inward in the first direction from the end of the main bent portion, an outer bent portion extending outward in the first direction from the end of the main bent portion, and a punched portion connected to the insertion groove. This allows the cover portion of the first side plate, which is located on the inside of the insertion groove in the second direction, to be positioned outside in the first direction relative to the main body portion other than the cover portion. In other words, when the first side plate is bent relative to the bottom plate, the inclined portion can create a gap between both side portions separated by the insertion groove. This improves the ease of inserting the insertion piece from the outside to the inside of the first side plate through the insertion groove.

This invention improves the ease of inserting the insertion piece into the insertion groove.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of FIG. 1 different from FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a side view of the tray of FIG. 1 as seen from the longitudinal direction. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tray blank of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a portion VI in FIG. 5 . FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a process for assembling the tray. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another process for assembling the tray. FIG. 11 is a side view of a tray according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the tray blank of FIG. 9 .

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment
Referring to FIG. 1 , a tray 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a container with an open top that can be made into a box without using any fastening means such as glue or staples, and comprises a bottom plate 11, a pair of long side plates (first side plates) 12, a pair of short side plates (second side plates) 13, an insertion groove 17, and an insertion piece 22.

In the attached drawings, the X direction is the width direction (first direction) of the tray 10, the Y direction is the length direction (second direction) of the tray 10, and the Z direction is the height direction (third direction). When viewed from above in the height direction Z, the tray 10 of this embodiment has a rectangular shape with the dimension in the width direction X being shorter than the dimension in the length direction Y. However, each of the dimensions in the width direction X, length direction Y, and height direction Z can be changed depending on the items to be stored.

The tray 10 is made of a blank as shown in FIG. 5. The blank is formed by punching a cardboard sheet using a well-known paper container punching device. The cardboard sheet is configured with a wavy core disposed between a front liner (the outer surface of the tray 10) and a back liner (the inner surface of the tray 10). The thickness of the cardboard sheet is 1 mm to 4 mm, and in this embodiment, a cardboard sheet with a thickness of 2 mm is used. The part shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5 is a general-purpose crease formed by scribing from the back liner to compress the thickness. The part shown by the solid line in FIG. 5 is a cut line formed by cutting from the back liner to the front liner with a blade, and a shape line (side) formed by punching.

Referring to FIG. 1, the bottom plate 11 is generally rectangular and extends along the XY plane. The core 1 is set to extend in the width direction X relative to the bottom plate 11.

The pair of long side panels 12 are connected to both ends of the bottom panel 11 in the width direction X via bent sections 14, and extend upward along the YZ plane. The long side panels 12 are inverted trapezoidal, and the dimension of the lower edge (bent section 14) in the length direction Y is shorter than the dimension of the upper edge. In this embodiment, the long side panels 12 are inclined outward in the width direction X from the lower edge to the upper edge (see FIG. 4). In other words, the long side panels 12 are inclined relative to the bottom panel 11.

The pair of short side plates 13 are connected to both ends of the bottom plate 11 in the longitudinal direction Y via bent portions 15, and extend upward along the XZ plane. The short side plates 13 are inverted trapezoidal, and the dimension of the lower edge (bent portion 15) in the width direction X is shorter than the dimension of the upper edge. In this embodiment, the short side plates 13 are inclined outward in the longitudinal direction Y from the lower edge to the upper edge. In other words, the short side plates 13 are inclined relative to the bottom plate 11. The overall height of the short side plates 13 is the same as the overall height of the long side plates 12.

The outer wall of the tray 10, which has these long side panels 12 and short side panels 13, has an opening area that gradually increases from the bottom panel 11 toward the upper opening. This tray 10, which has a pyramidal cylindrical outer wall, can be stacked with other trays 10 of the same configuration.

The insertion grooves 17 are provided on both sides of the long side plate 12 in the longitudinal direction Y. With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the insertion grooves 17 are slit-shaped and extend through the long side plate 12, and include an outer groove portion 18 extending in the height direction Z and an upper groove portion 19 extending in the longitudinal direction Y.

The outer grooves 18 are spaced apart from the inside of both ends of the long side plate 12 in the longitudinal direction Y and extend upward from the bottom plate 11. More specifically, the outer grooves 18 are inclined outward in the longitudinal direction Y from the bottom to the top.

The upper groove portion 19 is connected to the upper end of the outer groove portion 18 via a curved portion 20 and extends inward (toward the center) in the longitudinal direction Y. More specifically, the upper groove portion 19 is inclined upward from the outside toward the inside in the longitudinal direction Y. A downwardly curved breakage prevention portion 19a is provided on the inner end side of the upper groove portion 19 in the longitudinal direction Y.

By forming the insertion groove 17, the long side plate 12 is formed with a cover portion 12a located inside the insertion groove 17 and a main body portion 12b located outside the insertion groove 17. The cover portion 12a is a roughly rectangular area surrounded by the outer groove portion 18, the upper groove portion 19, the bent portion 14, and an imaginary line (not shown) connecting the inner end of the upper groove portion 19 in the longitudinal direction Y and the end portion 25a of the main bent portion 25 described in detail later, and covers the portion of the insertion piece 22 inserted through the insertion groove 17. The main body portion 12b is the area of the long side plate 12 other than the cover portion 12a.

Referring to FIG. 1, the insertion pieces 22 are connected to both ends of the short side panel 13 in the width direction X via bent portions 23, and extend along the YZ plane. Referring to FIG. 4, when viewed from the outside in the length direction Y, the bent portions 23 are inclined outward in the width direction X from the lower side (bent portion 15) toward the upper side. Also, when viewed from the outside in the width direction X, the bent portions 23 are inclined outward in the length direction Y from the lower side (bent portion 14) toward the upper side.

2 and 3, the insertion piece 22 comprises a base 22a connected to the short side plate 13, and an insertion piece body 22b protruding inward in the longitudinal direction Y from the base 22a. The base 22a is arranged overlapping the outside of the long side plate 12. The insertion piece body 22b is inserted from the outside to the inside of the long side plate 12 through the insertion groove 17. In this inserted state, the insertion piece body 22b intersects with and engages with the upper edge of the upper groove portion 19, and the outer surface side is covered by the cover portion 12a. This reliably prevents the insertion piece 22 from coming off the insertion groove 17.

The protruding dimension of the insertion piece 22, that is, the distance from the bent portion 23 to the inner end in the length direction Y at the upper end of the insertion piece main body 22b, is smaller than the distance from the bent portion 23 to the inner end in the length direction Y of the upper groove portion 19 of the insertion groove 17, and is set as large as possible within the range that allows insertion into the insertion groove 17. The dimension in the height direction Z of the insertion piece main body 22b is smaller than the dimension in the height direction Z of the base 22a and the dimension in the height direction Z from the bent portion 14 to the upper groove portion 19, and is set to a dimension that ensures the rigidity to maintain the engagement state with the upper edge of the insertion groove 17.

In contrast to the tray 10 having the above basic configuration, in this embodiment, by bending the long side plate 12 relative to the bottom plate 11, a gap can be formed between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b separated by the insertion groove 17 (see FIG. 7), improving the ease of inserting the insertion piece 22 (see FIG. 8). To achieve this, in this embodiment, the bent portion 14 between the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12 is composed of a main bent portion 25, a pair of inclined portions 26, and a pair of outer end bent portions 30. In addition, an auxiliary bend line 31 is provided on the cover portion 12a of the long side plate 12.

The main fold 25, the inclined portion 26, the outer end fold 30, and the auxiliary fold line 31 are described in detail below.

Referring to FIG. 1, the main bend 25 is provided between a pair of insertion grooves 17 and extends in the longitudinal direction Y. The end 25a of the main bend 25 is located below the inner end of the upper groove 19 in the longitudinal direction Y. The end 25a may be located on the inside of the inner end of the upper groove 19 (breakage prevention portion 19a) in the longitudinal direction Y with a space therebetween, or may be located on the outside of the inner end of the upper groove 19 with a space therebetween in the longitudinal direction Y.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the inclined portion 26 is connected to the end portion 25a of the main bend portion 25 and is inclined with respect to the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12. The inclined portion 26 is triangular in shape and is formed by the inner bend portion 27, the outer bend portion 28, and the punched portion 30, and is provided in a portion corresponding to the lower side of the upper groove portion 19.

The inner bend 27 is inclined from the end 25a of the main bend 25 outward in the length direction Y to inward in the width direction X, and extends along the XY plane into the bottom plate 11.

When viewed from above in the height direction Z, the outer bend 28 is inclined outward in the width direction X from the end 25a of the main bend 25 toward the outside in the length direction Y, and extends into the long side plate 12. When viewed from the outside in the width direction X, the outer bend 28 is inclined upward from the end 25a of the main bend 25 toward the outside in the length direction Y. The outer end of the outer bend 28 in the length direction Y is located at the same point as the lower end of the outer groove 18, and when viewed from the outside in the length direction Y with reference to FIG. 4, it protrudes outward in the width direction X further than a portion of the main body 12b of the long side plate 12 located at the same height.

2 and 3, the punched portion 30 is a slit-like portion that penetrates the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12. The punched portion 30 extends from the outer end of the inner bent portion 27 in the length direction Y to the outer end of the outer bent portion 28 in the length direction Y. In other words, in the width direction X, the inner end of the punched portion 30 is located inside the bottom plate 11, and the outer end of the punched portion 30 is located inside the long side plate 12. In this embodiment, the punched portion 30 extends in the width direction X perpendicular to the main bent portion 25, and is connected to the outer groove portion 18 of the insertion groove 17. However, the punched portion 30 may be inclined with respect to the main bent portion 25.

2 and 3, the outer end bend 30 is provided adjacent to the outer side of the inclined portion 26 in the length direction Y. The outer end bend 30 extends from the corner of the bottom plate 11 where the long side plate 12 and the short side plate 13 intersect toward the inside in the length direction Y, and is connected to the punched portion 30. More specifically, the outer end bend 30 extends inward in the width direction X, that is, toward the bottom plate 11, as it moves toward the inside in the length direction Y. As a result, the area of the main body portion 12b of the long side plate 12 that is connected to the outer end bend 30 is recessed toward the inside in the width direction. As a result, a gap can be secured between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b at the bottom of the outer groove portion 18. However, the outer end bend 30 may extend in the same straight line as the main bend 25, or may be inclined outward in the width direction X as it moves toward the inside in the length direction Y.

The auxiliary fold line 31 is provided in the cover portion 12a of the long side panel 12, and provides flexibility to the cover portion 12a, and ensures a gap between the outer end of the cover portion 12a in the length direction Y and the main body portion 12b. Specifically, the auxiliary fold line 31 is provided at a distance inward in the length direction Y from the outer groove portion 18 so as to be located below the upper groove portion 19, and extends along the height direction Z. In this embodiment, the auxiliary fold line 31 is provided inside the center of the upper groove portion 19 in the length direction Y, and extends upward from the end portion 25a of the main fold portion 25 along the outer groove portion 18. In other words, the auxiliary fold line 31 is inclined outward in the length direction Y as it moves from the bottom to the top.

As described above, in the tray 10 of this embodiment, the cover portion 12a is provided adjacent to the upper side of the inclined portion 26, and the insertion groove 17 is formed so as to be continuous with the punched portion 29 that constitutes the inclined portion 26. As a result, in the upper groove portion 19 of the insertion groove 17, the gap between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b gradually increases from the inner end in the length direction Y, where there is no gap, to the outer end in the length direction Y (outer groove portion 18), where the gap is the largest. Moreover, because the cover portion 12a is given flexibility by the auxiliary fold line 31, the gap can be elastically expanded in the outer portion of the cover portion 12a in the length direction beyond the auxiliary fold line 31.

Next, referring to Figure 5, we will explain the blank for tray 10.

The rectangular bottom plate 11 is located in the center, the long side plates 12 are connected to the top and bottom of the bottom plate 11 (both ends in the width direction X) in FIG. 5, and the short side plates 13 are connected to the left and right of the bottom plate 11 (both ends in the length direction Y) in FIG. 5.

Between the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12, there are provided a main fold line 25b, an inner fold line 27a, an outer fold line 28a, a punched portion 29, and an outer end fold line 30a, which constitute the main fold portion 25, the inner fold portion 27, the outer fold portion 28, the punched portion 29, and the outer end fold portion 30 shown in FIG. 1. Between the bottom plate 11 and the short side plate 13, there is provided a fold line 15a, which constitutes the fold portion 15 shown in FIG. 1. The main fold line 25b, the inner fold line 27a, the outer fold line 28a, the outer end fold line 30a, and the fold line 15a are all made of general-purpose creases. The punched portion 29 is made of a cut line.

In FIG. 5, the insertion grooves 17 are provided on both the left and right sides of the long side plate 12 (both sides in the longitudinal direction Y). The outer groove portion 18, the upper groove portion 19, and the curved portion 20 that constitute the insertion grooves 17 are all formed by cutting lines.

In FIG. 5, the insertion pieces 22 are connected to the top and bottom of the short side panel 13 (both ends in the width direction X). Between the insertion pieces 22 and the short side panel 13, there is a fold line 23a that constitutes the bend 23 shown in FIG. 1. The fold line 23a is a general-purpose line, and since the long side panel 12 and the short side panel 13 are inverted trapezoidal, it is inclined outward in the width direction X as it moves from the corner of the bottom panel 11 toward the outside in the length direction Y. In addition, the insertion pieces 22 and the long side panel 12 are separated by a cut line 32.

The auxiliary fold line 31 is provided between the upper groove portion 19 and the main fold line 25b, and extends along the width direction X. The auxiliary fold line 31 is made of a lead crease with multiple cut lines provided on a general crease. Adjacent cut lines of the lead crease are spaced apart so that they are unlikely to connect with each other or break when an external force is applied.

The main fold line 25b, the inner fold line 27a, the outer fold line 28a, the punched portion 29, the outer end fold line 30a, and the auxiliary fold line 31 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6.

The end 25a of the main fold line 25b, the inner end of the inner fold line 27a in the length direction Y, and the inner end of the outer fold line 28a in the length direction Y are all located on the same point. In addition, the outer end of the inner fold line 27a in the length direction Y and the inner end of the punched portion 29 in the width direction X are located on the same point, and the outer end of the outer fold line 28a in the length direction Y and the outer end of the punched portion 29 in the width direction X are located on the same point. In addition, the inner end of the outer end fold line 30a in the length direction Y is located on the punched portion 29, and the outer end of the outer end fold line 30a in the length direction Y is located on the same point as the outer end of the fold line 15a in the width direction X. However, these may all be located at a distance from each other.

The main fold line 25b extends in the longitudinal direction Y. As described above, the end 25a of the main fold line 25b is generally located below the inner end (break prevention portion 19a) of the upper groove portion 19 in the longitudinal direction Y. However, the end 25a of the main fold line 25b may be located at a distance inward in the longitudinal direction Y from the inner end of the upper groove portion 19, or may be located at a distance outward in the longitudinal direction Y.

The inner fold line 27a extends from the end 25a of the main fold line 25b toward the outside in the length direction Y, at an inward incline in the width direction X. The outer fold line 28a extends from the end 25a of the main fold line 25b toward the outside in the length direction Y, at an incline toward the outside in the width direction X. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 of the inner fold line 27a relative to the main fold line 25b is the same as the inclination angle θ2 of the outer fold line 28a relative to the main fold line 25b. However, the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 may be different.

The punched portion 29 extends in a direction perpendicular to the main fold line 25b. In the width direction X, the dimension from the inner end of the punched portion 29 to the main fold line 25b is S1, and the dimension from the outer end of the punched portion 29 to the main fold line 25b is S2. In this embodiment, the dimensions S1 and S2 are the same. However, the dimensions S1 and S2 may be different.

If the dimension S2 from the outer end of the punched portion 29 to the main fold line 25b is too long, the cover portion 12a will protrude too much from the main portion 12b in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1, and the gap between the cover portion 12a and the main portion 12b will be too large. On the other hand, if the dimension S2 is too short, the cover portion 12a will protrude too little from the main portion 12b in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1, and the gap between the cover portion 12a and the main portion 12b will be too small. Therefore, the dimension S2 is preferably set in the range of 300% to 800% of the thickness of the cardboard sheet that constitutes the tray 10, and more preferably set in the range of 400% to 700%. In this embodiment, the cardboard sheet is made of paper with a thickness of 2 mm, and the dimension S2 is set to 500%.

If the dimension S1 from the inner end of the punched portion 29 to the main fold line 25b is too long compared to the dimension S2 from the outer end of the punched portion 29 to the main fold line 25b, the inclination angle of the inclined portion 26 relative to the bottom plate 11 in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1 becomes too small, the bending force is not easily transmitted to the inner fold line 37a, the inclined portion 26 may not open sufficiently, and even if it opens, the gap at the bottom surface may become large. On the other hand, if the dimension S1 relative to the dimension S2 is too short, the inclination angle of the inclined portion 26 relative to the bottom plate 11 in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1 becomes too large, the bending force is not easily transmitted to the inner fold line 37a, and the inclined portion 26 may not open sufficiently. Therefore, the dimension S1 is preferably set in the range of 60% to 140% and more preferably set in the range of 80% to 120%, and is set to 100% in this embodiment.

If the length L1 in the longitudinal direction Y from the end 25a of the main fold line 25b to the punched portion 29, that is, the dimension in the longitudinal direction Y of the inclined portion 26, is excessively long, the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 of the inner fold line 27a and the outer fold line 28a relative to the main fold line 25b become too small. On the other hand, if the length L1 is excessively short, the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 of the inner fold line 27a and the outer fold line 28a relative to the main fold line 25b become too large. In these cases, when bending the long side plate 12 relative to the bottom plate 11, it is possible that the inclined portion 26 cannot be formed by bending it well along the fold lines 27a and 28a. Therefore, the length L1 is preferably set in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm, more preferably set in the range of 25 mm to 35 mm, and is set to 30 mm in this embodiment.

The inner end of the outer end fold curve 30a in the length direction Y is preferably positioned between the inner end and outer end of the punched section 29 in the width direction X, and more preferably between an angular position located on a straight line with respect to the main fold curve 25b and the inner end of the punched section 29 (bottom plate 11 side). In other words, in order to ensure a gap on the bottom plate 11 side of the insertion groove 17 in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1, the inner end of the outer end fold curve 30a is preferably positioned in the range of 0% to 40% of the dimension S1 in the width direction X from the inner end of the punched section 29 to the main fold curve 25b, starting from the intersection of the extension line of the main fold curve 25b and the punched section 29, and is positioned at 25% in this embodiment.

The auxiliary fold line 31 extends from the end 25a of the main fold line 25b toward the upper groove portion 19. However, as long as the folding along the main fold line 25b, the inner fold line 27a, and the outer fold line 28a is not hindered, the auxiliary fold line 31 may extend from the inside of the end 25a of the main fold line 25b in the length direction Y (i.e., above the main fold line 25b) toward the upper groove portion 19, or from the outside of the end 25a of the main fold line 25b in the length direction Y (i.e., above the outer fold line 28a) toward the upper groove portion 19.

The length from the outer groove 18 to the inner end of the upper groove 19 in the length direction Y is L2, and the length from the auxiliary fold line 31 to the inner end of the upper groove 19 in the length direction Y is L3. If the length L3 is excessively long, the flexibility of the cover 12a toward the outside in the width direction X in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1 may be reduced, and the insertion workability of the insertion piece 22 may be hindered. On the other hand, if the length L3 is excessively short, the area without a gap between the cover 12a and the main body 12b in the box-making state shown in FIG. 1 may be too small, and the insertion piece 22 may be easily removed. Therefore, it is preferable to set the length L3 in the range of 25% to 50%, and more preferably in the range of 30% to 45%, of the length L2. In this embodiment, the auxiliary fold line 31 is provided at a position where the length L3 is 40%.

The tray 10 configured as described above is shipped in a blank state, for example as shown in FIG. 5, and is boxed at the delivery destination. An example of the box-making procedure for the tray 10 is described below.

First, the pair of long side panels 12 are bent relative to the bottom panel 11. As a result, the main fold line 25b, the inner fold line 27a, the outer fold line 28a, and the outer end fold line 30a are all bent in a valley. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the inclined portion 26 is inclined relative to the bottom panel 11 and the long side panel 12, and the cover portion 12a protrudes outward in the width direction X relative to the main body portion 12b. As a result, at the outer end of the length direction Y of the cover portion 12a separated by the outer groove portion 18, a gap larger than the thickness of the insertion piece 22 is formed between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b. Also, at the upper end of the cover portion 12a separated by the upper groove portion 19, the gap between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b gradually decreases as it moves inward in the length direction Y, and is completely absent at the inner end.

Next, the pair of insertion pieces 22 are bent along the fold line 23a to one of the pair of short side panels 13, and then the one short side panel 13 is bent along the fold line 15a to the bottom panel 11. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the base 22a of the insertion piece 22 is arranged outside the main body 12b of the long side panel 12, and the lower end of the insertion piece main body 22b is inserted into the insertion groove 17 between the cover section 12a and the main body 12b. At this time, since the outer groove section 18 is inclined outward in the length direction Y from the bottom to the top, and a curved section 20 is formed between the outer groove section 18 and the upper groove section 19, the insertion piece 22 is inserted from the protruding curved section 20. Since the interference area of the insertion piece 22 with the cover section 12a can be reduced, the insertion piece 22 can be inserted into the insertion groove 17 with great ease.

Next, insert the insertion piece body 22b all the way into the insertion groove 17, and then stop the insertion operation. This causes the upper end of the insertion piece body 22b to engage with the upper edge of the upper groove portion 19. As a result, the short side plate 13 and the insertion piece 22 are prevented from moving in the direction of unfolding relative to the bottom plate 11. In addition, the cover portion 12a prevents the insertion piece body 22b from moving outward in the width direction X. This maintains the state in which the insertion piece 22 is inserted and engaged in the insertion groove 17.

Then, in the same manner as the bending of one of the short side panels 13 described above, the pair of insert pieces 22 are bent relative to the other of the pair of short side panels 13 along the fold line 23a, and then one of the short side panels 13 is bent relative to the bottom panel 11 along the fold line 15a. This completes the tray 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4.

The tray 10 and blank configured as described above have the following features:

Between the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12, a triangular inclined portion 26 inclined with respect to the bottom plate 11 and the long side plate 12 is provided in a portion corresponding to the lower side of the insertion groove 17, and this inclined portion 26 is composed of an inner bend portion 27 extending inward in the width direction X from the main bend portion 25, an outer bend portion 28 extending outward in the width direction X from the main bend portion 25, and a punched portion 29 continuing to the insertion groove 17. As a result, the cover portion 12a of the long side plate 12, which is located on the inner side of the insertion groove 17 in the length direction Y, can be positioned outside in the width direction X more than the main body portion 12b other than the cover portion 12a. In other words, when the long side plate 12 is bent with respect to the bottom plate 11, the inclined portion 26 can create a gap (step) between the both side portions 12a, 12b partitioned by the insertion groove 17. This improves the ease of inserting the insertion piece 22 from the outside to the inside of the long side panel 12 through the insertion groove 17.

The long side panel 12 is provided with an auxiliary fold line 31 below the upper groove 19, positioned at a distance inward in the length direction Y from the outer groove 18, and extending in the height direction Z. This allows the portion of the cover 12a that is outside the auxiliary fold line 31 in the length direction Y to bend outward in the width direction X. This ensures that a gap can be provided between the outer portion of the cover 12a and the main body 12b, improving the ease of inserting the insertion piece 22 into the insertion groove 17.

The auxiliary fold line 31 is provided inside the center in the length direction Y within the range where the upper groove portion 19 is provided. This makes it easier for the outer portion of the cover portion 12a to bend outward in the width direction X, ensuring that a gap is provided between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b, improving the ease of inserting the insertion piece 22 into the insertion groove 17.

The auxiliary fold line 31 extends upward from the end 25a of the main fold section 25. This allows the auxiliary fold line 31 to reliably bend the outer portion of the cover section 12a.

The outer groove portion 18 is inclined outward in the longitudinal direction Y from the bottom to the top. This allows the corner where the outer groove portion 18 and the upper groove portion 19 join to protrude most outward in the longitudinal direction Y. As a result, when inserting the insertion piece 22 from above into the insertion groove 17, the interference area of the insertion piece 22 with the cover portion 12a can be reduced, improving the ease of insertion.

The insertion groove 17 is formed by a cut line. As a result, the gap between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b gradually decreases from the outside to the inside in the longitudinal direction Y along the upper groove portion 19, and becomes completely nonexistent at the inner end. Therefore, when the insertion piece 22 is inserted into the insertion groove 17, the insertion piece 22 crosses the upper edge of the insertion groove 17, and the outer surface side is covered by the cover portion 12a. This reliably prevents the insertion piece 22 from coming off the insertion groove 17.

The outer end bent portion 30 provided on the outer side of the inclined portion 26 in the length direction Y extends inward in the width direction X as it moves inward in the length direction Y. This allows the portion of the long side plate 12 that is connected to the outer end bent portion 30 to be recessed inward in the width direction X. This allows a gap to be secured between the cover portion 12a and the main body portion 12b even in the lower region of the insertion groove 17. As a result, the insertion piece 22 can be inserted downward beyond the upper end of the insertion groove 17, improving the ease of insertion.

The long side panels 12 are inclined outward in the width direction X from the bottom panel 11 upward, and the short side panels 13 are inclined outward in the length direction Y from the bottom panel 11 upward. This allows trays 10 of the same configuration to be stacked. In other words, multiple trays 10 can be boxed up in advance before use and stored in a minimum amount of space, improving user convenience.

Other embodiments and various modified examples of the present invention will be described below, but in these descriptions, points that are not specifically mentioned are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the drawings referred to below, elements that are the same as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals.

Second Embodiment
9 and 10, the tray 10 of the second embodiment, like the tray 10 of the first embodiment, includes a bottom plate 11, a pair of long side plates 12, a pair of short side plates 13, an insertion groove 17, and an insertion piece 22. Referring to Fig. 9, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the long side plates 12 extend upward in a height direction Z perpendicular to the bottom plate 11.

Referring to FIG. 10, in the blank of the tray 10, the fold line 23a between the insert piece 22 and the short side panel 13 is provided so as to extend in the length direction Y, similar to the main fold line 25b. Also, the insert piece 22 and the long side panel 12 are separated by a notch groove 32a extending in the width direction X, instead of the cutting line 32 shown in FIG. 5.

The tray 10 of the second embodiment configured in this manner can achieve the same effects and advantages as the tray 10 of the first embodiment.

In addition, in the tray 10 of the second embodiment, the bending angle of the long side plate 12 with respect to the bottom plate 11 is larger than that of the tray 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, when the total length from the inner end to the outer end in the width direction X of the punched portion 29, more specifically, the dimension from the main fold line 25b to the outer end in the width direction X of the punched portion 29 is the same, the projection amount (gap width) of the cover portion 12a with respect to the main portion 12b is larger in the tray 10 of the second embodiment than in the tray 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, when the projection amount of the cover portion 12a with respect to the main portion 12b is the same as that of the tray 10 of the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the dimension from the main fold line 25b to the outer end in the width direction X of the punched portion 29 shown in FIG. 10 can be shorter than the dimension S2 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

For example, the insertion groove 17 may be generally C-shaped, extending upward from the bottom plate 11 and curving inward in the longitudinal direction Y. The insertion groove 17 may also be slit-shaped with a predetermined width and opposing edges spaced apart. The insertion groove 17 may also be configured only by the outer groove portion 18, without providing the upper groove portion 19.

The tray 10 may be configured so that the auxiliary fold line 31 is not provided on the cover portion 12a.

The main fold line 25b, the inner fold line 27a, the outer fold line 28a, the outer end fold line 30a, the fold line 15a, and the fold line 23a may be formed by lead creases, and may be configured to bend at a predetermined position. The auxiliary fold line 31 may be configured only by general-purpose creases, or may be configured by half-cut lines that cut the back liner, and may be configured to give flexibility to the cover portion 12a.

The material of the tray 10 is not limited to a cardboard sheet made of paper, but may be a cardboard sheet made of resin. Also, the material of the tray 10 is not limited to a cardboard sheet, but may be a single layer of cardboard or a resin sheet.

1 Core 10 Tray 11 Bottom plate 12 Long side plate (first side plate)
12a Cover portion 12b Main body portion 13 Short side plate (second side plate)
14 Bending portion 15 Bending portion 15a Bending line 17 Insertion groove 18 Outer groove portion 19 Upper groove portion 19a Break prevention portion 20 Bending portion 22 Insertion piece 22a Base portion 22b Insertion piece body 23 Bending portion 23a Bending line 25 Main bending portion 25a End portion 25b Main bending line 26 Inclined portion 27 Inner bending portion 27a Inner bending line 28 Outer bending portion 28a Outer bending line 29 Punched portion 30 Outer end bending portion 30a Outer end bending line 31 Auxiliary bending line 32 Cutting line 32a Notch groove X Width direction (first direction)
Y Length direction (second direction)
Z Height direction (third direction)

Claims (10)

A bottom plate extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a pair of first side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the first direction and extending upward in a third direction intersecting both the first direction and the second direction;
a pair of second side plates each connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the second direction and extending upward;
a slit-shaped insertion groove provided on each of both sides of the first side plate in the second direction, the insertion groove having a portion penetrating the first side plate and extending at least in the third direction;
an insertion piece connected to each end of the second side plate in the first direction and inserted from the outer side to the inner side of the first side plate through the insertion groove;
Between the bottom plate and the first side plate, a main bent portion extending in the second direction and a pair of inclined portions are provided, the main bent portion being located in a portion corresponding to a lower side of the insertion groove, the pair of inclined portions being connected to ends of the main bent portion and having a triangular shape inclined with respect to the bottom plate and the first side plate,
The inclined portion is
an inner bent portion extending from the end of the main bent portion toward the outside in the second direction and toward the inside in the first direction;
an outer bent portion extending outward in the first direction from the end of the main bent portion toward the outside in the second direction;
a punched-out portion extending from an outer end of the inner bent portion in the second direction to an outer end of the outer bent portion in the second direction, penetrating the bottom plate and the first side plate and communicating with the insertion groove. The insertion groove includes an outer groove portion that is connected to the punched portion and extends upward, and an upper groove portion that is connected to an upper end of the outer groove portion and extends inward in the second direction,
The first side plate is provided with an auxiliary fold line that is located below the upper groove portion, is spaced apart from the outer groove portion on the inside in the second direction, and extends in the third direction.
2. The tray of claim 1. The tray according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary fold line is provided inside the center in the second direction within the range in which the upper groove portion is provided. The tray of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary fold line extends upward from the end of the main fold. The tray according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the outer groove portion is inclined outward in the second direction from the lower side to the upper side. The tray according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the insertion groove is a cut line. The tray according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an outer end bent portion is provided between the bottom plate and the first side plate on the outer side of the inclined portion in the second direction, the outer end bent portion extending from a corner of the bottom plate toward the punched portion. The tray according to claim 7, wherein the outer end bend extends inward in the first direction as it moves inward in the second direction. The first side plate is inclined outward in the first direction from the bottom plate toward the upper side,
The second side plate is inclined outward in the second direction from the bottom plate toward the upper side.
A tray according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A bottom plate extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a pair of first side plates respectively connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the first direction;
a pair of second side plates respectively connected to both ends of the bottom plate in the second direction;
a slit-shaped insertion groove provided on each of both sides of the first side plate in the second direction and having a portion penetrating the first side plate and extending at least in the first direction;
an insertion piece connected to each end of the second side plate in the first direction and inserted from the outer side to the inner side of the first side plate through the insertion groove;
Between the bottom plate and the first side plate, there is a main fold line extending in the second direction, and between the bottom plate and the first side plate, there is a main fold line extending in the second direction, and a pair of triangular inclined portions are provided that are located in a portion of the insertion groove corresponding to the first direction and connected to the end of the main fold line,
The inclined portion is
An inner fold line extending from the end of the main fold line toward the outside in the second direction and toward the inside in the first direction;
An outer fold line extending outward in the first direction from the end of the main fold line toward the outside in the second direction;
a punched-out portion extending from an outer end of the inner fold line in the second direction to an outer end of the outer fold line in the second direction, penetrating the bottom plate and the first side plate and communicating with the insertion groove.

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