JP7482062B2 - Packaging box - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applied. Exhibited at the 2021 Spring New Product Launch held at Ajinomoto AGF Co., Ltd. on January 6, 2021.

The present invention relates to a packaging box.

A packaging box that allows contents stored inside to be easily removed is known (Patent Document 1). This packaging box has a peripheral wall with a bottom opening, and a bottom wall that extends forward from the rear lower end of the peripheral wall to close the bottom opening and contacts or is close to the front lower end of the peripheral wall. When the bottom wall bends downward, a gap opens between the front lower end of the peripheral wall and the bottom wall, and the contents can be pulled out forward through this gap.

JP 2018-193067 A

However, with the above-mentioned packaging box, when the contents were pulled out, the contents could get caught on the lower front end of the peripheral wall or be dragged by the contents due to friction between the peripheral wall and the bottom wall, causing the entire packaging box to move forward. This required the user to hold down the packaging box with one hand and pull out the contents with the other. For example, when multiple users use one packaging box, it is preferable for users to only touch the contents they are pulling out, from a hygienic perspective.

Taking the above into consideration, the present invention provides a packaging box that allows the contents to be easily removed without touching the box itself.

The packaging box includes a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, a cylindrical box body with a bottom opening at its bottom end, and a pair of inner plate parts that are connected to the bottom ends of the pair of side walls, folded back inside the pair of side walls, and support the lowest content located at the bottom opening. A pull-out opening is formed at the bottom of one of the end walls, exposing a portion of the lowest content and opening the removal space between the pair of inner plate parts directly below the bottom opening. Each of the inner plate parts has a recess that is recessed downward from the upper end of the inner plate part at a position other than the vicinity of the pull-out opening. When a user pulls down the content exposed at the pull-out opening to remove the lowest content from the box body, the content bends in contact with the pair of inner plate parts, is pulled down while spreading the pair of inner plate parts outward, and falls so that the side opposite to the pull-out opening enters the pair of recesses.

In this case, the container may further include an auxiliary plate portion that is connected to the other end wall, folded back inside the other end wall, inserted between the pair of inner plate portions, and supports the lowest content, and the upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions may be inclined so that the gap between them narrows as they approach the drawer opening when viewed from above.

In this case, the container may further include an inner box that contains a plurality of the contents, has an inner opening that exposes the lowest one of the contents, and is attached to the box body so that the inner opening is positioned at the bottom opening.

In this case, when the inner box is attached to the box body, an inner support part that comes into contact with the lowest content is provided on the edge of the inner opening opposite the drawer opening, and the pair of inner plate parts may support the lowest content via the inner support part.

In this case, each of the inner plate portions may further have an elastic piece that is folded back to elastically contact the inner surface of the side wall and pull the inner plate portion away from the inner surface of the side wall.

In this case, when the inner plate portion is folded back, the elastic piece may be folded back from below to above, and when the folded back elastic piece is overlapped with the inner plate portion, the upper end of the elastic piece may coincide with the upper end of the inner plate portion.

According to the present invention, the contents can be easily removed without touching the box itself.

1 is a perspective view showing a packaging box according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a blank for an outer box of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a blank for an inner box of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which contents are accommodated in an inner box of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the inside (inner plate portion, etc.) of an outer box of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an inner opening portion of an inner box of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention is opened. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating attachment of an inner box to an outer box. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a packaging box according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how to remove the contents (first half). FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how to remove the contents (second half). 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a packaging box according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the contents have been pulled out toward the front. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a blank for an outer box of a packaging box according to a modified example of an embodiment of the present invention.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Note that Fr, Rr, L, R, U, and D shown in the drawings indicate front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom. Terms indicating directions and positions are used in this specification, but these terms are used for convenience of explanation and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, terms indicating directions and positions are based on directions and positions when the packaging box is assembled.

[Packaging box configuration]
A packaging box 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the packaging box 1. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a blank 2A of an outer box 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a blank 3A of an inner box 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the packaging box has an appearance of a generally rectangular parallelepiped that is elongated in the vertical direction. The packaging box 1 has a box body 2W including a pair of side walls 10, a rear wall 11, and a front wall 12. The box body 2W is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape with an upper opening 2U at the upper end and a lower opening 2D at the lower end. As will be described in detail later, an inner box 3 that contains multiple contents M is removably attached to the box body 2W. By attaching the inner box 3 inside the box body 2W, the box body 2W contains (multiple) contents M stacked in the vertical direction. In this specification, the packaging box 1 excluding the inner box 3 is referred to as the "outer box 2."

The contents M are rectangular when viewed from above, and are formed into a thin, flat, flexible plate shape. For example, the contents M may be a folded filter containing coffee powder sealed in a resin film. Note that the contents M may be any plate shape (not limited to a rectangular shape) that is flexibly deformable.

The outer box 2 is formed by assembling the blanks 2A shown in FIG. 2. The blanks 2A are formed by punching out a sheet of cardboard made of paper with a die or the like. The cardboard sheet is, for example, a double-sided cardboard sheet in which a corrugated core 9A is bonded to a front liner 9B and a back liner 9C (see also FIG. 5). The inner box 3 is formed by assembling the blanks 3A shown in FIG. 3. The blanks 3A are formed by punching out a sheet of paperboard (for example, multi-layered cardboard) with a die or the like. Note that FIG. 2 shows the front liner 9B side. In this specification, the direction parallel to the core 9A of the cardboard is called the "step direction", and the direction perpendicular to the step direction is called the "flow direction". In the drawings, "X1" indicates the "step direction", and "Y1" indicates the "flow direction". Also, FIG. 3 shows the outer surface (front surface) side of the inner box 3. Additionally, "X2" in the drawings indicates the "grain direction" in which the paper fibers (grain) extend, and "Y2" indicates the "orthogonal direction" perpendicular to the grain direction.

[Blank outer box]
As shown in Fig. 2, the blank 2A of the outer box 2 includes a pair of side walls 10, a rear wall 11, a front wall 12, a transition piece 13, a pair of upper flaps 14, a top wall 15, a pair of inner plate parts 16, and an auxiliary plate part 17. The transition piece 13, the right side wall 10, the rear wall 11, the left side wall 10, and the front wall 12 are arranged in this order from one side to the other in the row direction. Note that the pair of side walls 10, the pair of upper flaps 14, and the pair of inner plate parts 16 are each symmetrical with respect to the rear wall 11, so that in the following description, only one part will be described unless it is clearly stated that they are a pair.

<Side wall, rear wall, passage piece>
The side walls 10 are formed in a narrow rectangular shape in the flow direction, and the rear wall 11, which is an example of an end wall, is formed in a rectangular shape that is slightly wider in the step direction than the side walls 10. The pair of side walls 10 are connected to both ends of the rear wall 11 in the step direction via a first fold line L1. The joint piece 13 is connected to one side wall 10 (the right side) in the step direction via the first fold line L1.

<Front wall>
The front wall 12, which is an example of an end wall, is shorter in the flow direction (vertical direction) than the side wall 10 and is formed in a rectangular shape with a width in the step direction that is approximately equal to that of the rear wall 11. The front wall 12 is connected to the other (left) side wall 10 in the step direction via a first folding line L1. The front wall 12 has one end (upper end) in the flow direction that coincides with the side wall 10. Therefore, the front wall 12 is not connected to the lower part of the side wall 10, and a first drawer opening 20A is formed below the front wall 12. A second drawer opening 20B having a substantially semicircular shape is formed at the other end (lower part) in the flow direction of the front wall 12. The second drawer opening 20B is recessed from the lower end upward in the center of the step direction of the front wall 12. The first drawer opening 20A and the second drawer opening 20B are integrated to form one opening. Furthermore, a substantially semicircular remaining amount check hole 21 with an arc-shaped lower side is formed in the middle (lower) part of the front wall 12 in the flow direction. In this specification, the first drawer opening 20A and the second drawer opening 20B are collectively referred to as the drawer opening 20.

<Upper flap, ceiling wall>
The upper flap 14 is connected to one end (upper end) of the side wall 10 in the flow direction via the second fold line L2. The upper flap 14 is formed in a trapezoidal shape and closes a part of the upper opening 2U of the box main body 2W. The top wall 15 is connected to one end (upper end) of the front wall 12 in the flow direction via the second fold line L2. The top wall 15 is formed in a rectangular shape and closes the entire upper opening 2U. The insert piece 18 is connected to the tip of the top wall 15 in the flow direction via the insertion fold line L10. A U-shaped (C-shaped) insertion cut line 18A is cut in the middle part of the insert piece 18 in the step direction so as to protrude from the insertion fold line L10 toward the insert piece 18. The insertion cut line 18A is formed to make it easier to fold the insert piece 18 at the insertion fold line L10 and to make it easier to pull out the insert piece 18 inserted into the box main body 2W.

<Inner plate>
The inner plate portion 16 is connected to the other end (lower end) of the side wall 10 in the flow direction via two third fold lines L3. The two third fold lines L3 are formed in parallel, and a grounding portion 19 is formed between the two third fold lines L3. The inner plate portion 16 is formed in a generally rectangular shape. The dimension (height) of the inner plate portion 16 in the flow direction is approximately equal to the dimension (height) of the first drawer opening portion 20A in the flow direction. In addition, the front edge of the inner plate portion 16 (the side opposite to the auxiliary plate portion 17) is inclined backward as it moves away from the third fold line L3 in the flow direction. At the tip of the rear edge of the inner plate portion 16 in the flow direction, an inner plate protrusion portion 16A is protruded toward the rear (auxiliary plate portion 17).

(Elastic piece, missing part)
The inner plate portion 16 has an elastic piece 22 and a missing portion 23. The elastic piece 22 is formed on the tip side (upper) and front side of the inner plate portion 16 in the flow direction. The elastic piece 22 is formed in a range surrounded by an elastic fold line L11 formed on the tip side in the flow direction and an elastic cut line 22A formed in a U-shape so as to connect both ends of the elastic fold line L11. Although details will be described later, the elastic piece 22 is folded back along the elastic fold line L11 and hollowed out from the inner plate portion 16 along the elastic cut line 22A. The missing portion 23 is recessed from the tip to the base end in the flow direction in the middle part of the step direction of the inner plate portion 16. The missing portion 23 is a substantially trapezoidal cutout whose width narrows from the tip to the base end in the flow direction by inclining the front edge. The missing portion 23 is formed slightly rearward of the inner plate portion 16.

<Auxiliary plate part>
The auxiliary plate portion 17 is connected to the other end (lower end) in the flow direction of the rear wall 11 (the other end wall) via two third fold lines L3 (ground contact portions 19). The auxiliary plate portion 17 is formed in a generally rectangular shape. A pair of auxiliary protrusions 17A protrude toward the outside (inner plate portion 16) at both ends in the step direction of the auxiliary plate portion 17. Each auxiliary protrusion 17A is formed at a position shifted toward the third fold line L3 side from the inner plate protrusion 16A of the inner plate portion 16.

The first to third fold lines L1 to L3, the insertion fold line L10, and the elastic fold line L11 are all-purpose creases formed by squeezing the cardboard sheet in the thickness direction from the back liner 9C side. The all-purpose creases have the function of folding the cardboard sheet so that the back liner 9C faces inward (forward folding). The first to third fold lines L1 to L3, etc. are not limited to all-purpose creases, and may be any creases that have the function of folding the cardboard sheet in the desired direction.

[Blank inner box]
As shown in FIG. 3, the blank 3A of the inner box 3 includes a pair of inner walls 30, a pair of inner end walls 31, an inner transition piece 32, a first inner flap 33, a pair of second inner flaps 34, a cover wall 35, a pair of first bottom walls 36, and a pair of second bottom walls 37. As will be described in detail later, the pair of inner walls 30 and the pair of inner end walls 31 form a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall 3W that opens at both upper and lower end faces. Since the pair of first bottom walls 36 are roughly the same shape, one first bottom wall 36 will be described unless it is clearly stated that they are a pair. Similarly, one second bottom wall 37 will be described.

<Inner wall, inner end wall, inner passage piece>
A pair of inner walls 30 and a pair of inner end walls 31 are alternately arranged in the grain direction and are connected via a fourth fold line L4. The inner wall 30 is formed in a rectangular shape that is one size smaller than the front wall 12 of the outer box 2. The inner end wall 31 is formed in a rectangular shape that is one size smaller than the top wall 15 of the outer box 2. The inner joint piece 32 is connected to one of the inner walls 30 in the grain direction via the fourth fold line L4. A semicircular push-in piece 42 is formed on the inner end wall 31 located opposite to the inner joint piece 32. The push-in piece 42 is formed in a range surrounded by the drawing fold line L20 extending in the grain direction and the drawing cut line 42A formed in a U-shape so as to connect both ends of the drawing fold line L20.

<First inner flap, second inner flap>
The first inner flap 33 is connected to one end (upper end) of one of the inner walls 30 in the grain direction via a fifth fold line L5. Each of the second inner flaps 34 is connected to one end (upper end) of the inner end wall 31 in the grain direction via a fifth fold line L5. The first inner flap 33 is formed in a trapezoidal shape, and each of the second inner flaps 34 is formed in a rectangular shape. A U-shaped (C-shaped) inner insertion cut line 33A is cut in the center of the first inner flap 33 in the grain direction so as to protrude from the fifth fold line L5 toward the first inner flap 33.

<Cover wall>
The cover wall 35 is connected to one end (upper end) of the other inner wall 30 in the grain direction via the fifth fold line L5. The cover wall 35 is formed in a rectangular shape capable of closing the upper opening of the peripheral wall 3W. An internal insertion piece 38 is connected to the end of the cover wall 35 in the orthogonal direction via an internal insertion fold line L21. A drawer opening cut line 40A is formed in a substantially semicircular shape at one end of the cover wall 35 in the grain direction and at the center in the orthogonal direction. In addition, a substantially semicircular remaining amount confirmation cut line 41A with an arc on the lower side is formed in the middle part of the cover wall 35 in the grain direction (the drawer opening cut line 40A side). Although details will be described later, by cutting the cover wall 35 along the drawer opening cut line 40A, an inner drawer opening 40 is opened in the cover wall 35. In addition, by cutting the cover wall 35 along the remaining amount confirmation cut line 41A, an inner remaining amount confirmation hole 41 is opened in the cover wall 35. The inner drawer opening 40 is formed to be a size larger than the second drawer opening 20B of the outer box 2, and the inner remaining amount check hole 41 is formed to be a size larger than the remaining amount check hole 21 of the outer box 2.

<First bottom wall>
The first bottom wall 36 is connected to the other end (lower end) of the inner wall 30 in the orthogonal direction via a sixth fold line L6. The first bottom wall 36 is formed in a generally rectangular shape, and the dimension of the first bottom wall 36 in the orthogonal direction is set to be slightly longer than half the dimension of the inner end wall 31 in the grain direction. An interlocking recess 36A is cut out in a generally trapezoidal shape at the tip side of the first bottom wall 36. At the other side of the grain direction of the first bottom wall 36 (the second bottom wall 37 side), an inclined fold line L22 is formed obliquely from the corner of the interlocking recess 36A toward the base end of the second bottom wall 37. The inclined fold line L22 defines a generally triangular bottom adhesive portion 36B in the corner region of the first bottom wall 36.

<Second bottom wall>
The second bottom wall 37 is connected to the other end (lower end) of the inner end wall 31 in the orthogonal direction via a sixth fold line L6. The second bottom wall 37 is formed in a generally trapezoidal shape that narrows from the base end to the tip in the orthogonal direction. The dimension of the second bottom wall 37 in the orthogonal direction is approximately half the dimension of the inner end wall 31 in the grain direction.

A pull-out cut line 43 is formed on one of the inner end walls 31 arranged between the pair of inner walls 30. The pull-out cut line 43 is formed so that the inner end wall 31, excluding the lower part of the inner wall 30 (the inner support part 31A), can be separated from the peripheral wall 3W. In detail, the pull-out cut line 43 has a first zipper 43A formed parallel to the sixth fold line L6 near the second bottom wall 37, a perforation line 43C connecting one end of the first zipper 43A and the fifth fold line L5 in the grain direction, and a second zipper 43B connecting the other end of the first zipper 43A and the fifth fold line L5 in the grain direction, and is formed in a substantially U-shape (C-shape). The first zipper 43A has the function of cutting the inner end wall 31 from the second zipper 43B side toward the perforation line 43C side. The second zipper 43B has the function of cutting the inner end wall 31 from the first zipper 43A side toward the fifth fold line L5 side. The area (lower side) near the intersection of the first zipper 43A and the second zipper 43B is cut in a roughly L-shape to form a tab 44 that can be pinched by the user.

The fourth to sixth fold lines L4 to L6, the pull-out fold line L20, the inner insertion fold line L21, and the inclined fold line L22 are normal creases formed by crushing the paperboard from the front side in the thickness direction. The normal creases have the function of folding the paperboard forward and backward. The fourth to sixth fold lines L4 to L6, etc. are not limited to normal creases, and may be any creases that have the function of folding the paperboard in a desired direction. In addition, the pull-out cut line 43 is composed of a combination of the first and second zippers 43A and 43B and the perforation line 43C, but is not limited to this, and may be composed of only a zipper or only a perforation line. The pull-out cut line 43 may be any crease that has the function of cutting the paperboard, such as a half-cut line.

[Assembly of packaging boxes]
Next, an example of an assembly procedure for the packaging box 1 will be described.

First, the initial state of the outer box 2 and the inner box 3 before assembly will be described. In the blank 2A of the outer box 2, the side wall 10 and the front wall 12 to which the joint piece 13 is connected are folded back at the first fold line L1, and the joint piece 13 is attached to the inner surface (back liner 9C) of the front wall 12. As a result, the outer box 2 is in the initial state of being folded flat (not shown). In the blank 3A of the inner box 3, the inner wall 30 to which the inner joint piece 32 is connected and the inner end wall 31 to which the push-in piece 42 is formed are folded back along the fourth fold line L4, and the inner joint piece 32 is attached to the inner surface of the inner end wall 31 (not shown). In addition, the first bottom wall 36 and the second bottom wall 37 are folded back inward along the sixth fold line L6, and the bottom adhesive portion 36B of the first bottom wall 36 is folded back at the inclined fold line L22 and attached to the inner surface of the second bottom wall 37 (not shown). This causes the first bottom wall 36 and the second bottom wall 37 to fold inward, and the inner box 3 returns to its initial flat folded state (not shown).

<Assembling the inner box and packaging the contents>
An example of a procedure for assembling the inner box 3 and a procedure for packing the contents M will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the contents M are accommodated in the inner box 3.

The worker folds the pair of inner side walls 30 and the pair of inner end walls 31 at a substantially right angle along the fourth fold line L4 to form a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall 3W with an open top. At this time, the folded first bottom wall 36 and second bottom wall 37 are pushed out until they are substantially parallel to each other while flattening the reverse-folded bottom adhesive portion 36B, forming the bottom surface of the inner box 3 (not shown). In this state, the interlocking recesses 36A of the pair of first bottom walls 36 are interlocked with each other (not shown). In other words, the bottom surface of the inner box 3 is a so-called one-touch bottom that is automatically formed in conjunction with the formation of the peripheral wall 3W.

Next, the worker places multiple contents M arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4) inside the inner box 3. The contents M are placed in the inner box 3 in a position parallel to the inner end wall 31.

Then, the worker folds the first inner flap 33 and the pair of second inner flaps 34 inward along the fifth fold line L5 to close a portion of the top opening of the peripheral wall 3W. Next, the worker folds the cover wall 35 inward along the fifth fold line L5, and inserts the inner insertion piece 38 folded along the inner insertion fold line L21 into the inner insertion cut line 33A to completely close the top opening of the peripheral wall 3W (see FIG. 6). With the above steps, the inner box 3 is sealed.

<Assembling the outer box>
An example of an assembly procedure for the outer box 2 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 5. Figure 5 is a plan view showing the inside of the outer box 2 (the inner plate portion 16, etc.).

The worker bends the pair of side walls 10, the rear wall 11, and the front wall 12 at approximately right angles along the first fold line L1 to form the rectangular cylindrical box body 2W (see FIG. 5). The bottom opening 2D of the box body 2W is a horizontal surface that is at the same level as the bottom end of the front wall 12.

Next, the worker folds the pair of inner plate portions 16 inward along the two third fold lines L3, and folds the auxiliary plate portion 17 inward along the two third fold lines L3. In detail, the grounding portion 19 is folded inward at a substantially right angle relative to the side wall 10 or the rear wall 11, and the inner plate portion 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 are folded upward at a substantially right angle relative to the grounding portion 19. The inner plate portion 16 faces the inner surface (back liner 9C) of the side wall 10. The auxiliary plate portion 17 fits between the pair of inner plate portions 16 and faces the inner surface of the rear wall 11. The tips (upper ends) of the inner plate portion 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 coincide with the lower end of the front wall 12. In other words, the upper ends of the inner plate portion 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 coincide with the lower opening 2D of the box body 2W. Note that the upper ends of the inner plate portion 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 coincide with the lower end of the front wall 12 (lower opening 2D), meaning that they do not necessarily coincide perfectly, but allow for a slight error of about a few mm.

As shown in FIG. 5, the inner plate protrusions 16A of the pair of inner plate portions 16 are loosely fitted between the pair of side walls 10 and both left and right ends of the auxiliary plate portion 17. The pair of auxiliary protrusions 17A of the auxiliary plate portion 17 are located below the inner plate protrusions 16A of the pair of inner plate portions 16, and are loosely fitted between the rear ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 and the rear wall 11. The loose fit between the inner plate protrusions 16A and the auxiliary protrusions 17A holds the inner plate portion 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 in a folded-back state inward. The inner plate protrusions 16A are also held so that they can swing about the lower end (third fold line L3) as a fulcrum.

Next, the worker pushes the elastic piece 22 outward while tilting the inner plate portion 16 inward. The elastic piece 22 is folded upward along the elastic fold line L11 while being hollowed out from the inner plate portion 16. The elastic piece 22 tries to rotate downward due to the restoring force around the elastic fold line L11. By folding back, the elastic piece 22 comes into contact with the inner surface of the side wall 10 with an elastic force, and pulls the inner plate portion 16 away from the inner surface of the side wall 10. The inner plate portion 16 and the side wall 10 form a V-shape when viewed from the front (see FIG. 1). In detail, as shown in FIG. 5, the elastic piece 22 pulls the front side of the inner plate portion 16 away from the inner surface of the side wall 10. The rear end portions (inner plate protrusions 16A) of the pair of inner plate portions 16 are pressed against both the left and right ends of the auxiliary plate portion 17 and are close to the inner surface of the side wall 10. Therefore, when viewed from above, the upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 are inclined so that the distance (width in the left-right direction) narrows toward the drawer opening 20. The distance between the upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 is set shorter than the left-right dimension of the contents M even at its widest point (rear) so that the contents M can be supported. Note that the distance between the upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 only needs to be set shorter than the left-right dimension of the contents M at least on the front side, and for example, the distance on the rear side may be set shorter than the left-right dimension of the contents M (not shown).

In addition, when the folded elastic piece 22 is overlapped on the inner plate portion 16, the upper end of the elastic piece 22 coincides with the upper end of the inner plate portion 16. Note that the upper ends of the elastic piece 22 and the inner plate portion 16 coinciding does not necessarily mean that they coincide perfectly, but rather that a slight error of about a few mm is allowed.

The outer box 2 is completed with the upper opening 2U open (see FIG. 7). The outer box 2 (box body 2W) is placed in an upright position on the installation surface GL with the grounding parts 19 provided on three sides except the front side in contact with the installation surface GL (see FIG. 1). The drawer opening 20 is opened at the lower front part (lower part of the front wall 12) of the box body 2W (see FIG. 1). Since the lower opening 2D (lower part of the front wall 12) of the box body 2W is located above the installation surface GL, a take-out space S is formed between the pair of inner plate parts 16 (the area surrounded by the pair of inner plate parts 16 and the auxiliary plate part 17) directly below the lower opening 2D (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5). The drawer opening 20 opens the take-out space S. The cutout part 23 is recessed downward from the upper end of the inner plate part 16 at a position (near the center in the front-rear direction) except for the vicinity of the drawer opening 20 (see FIG. 5).

<Attaching the inner box to the outer box>
An example of a procedure for mounting the inner box 3 to the outer box 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 to Fig. 8. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the inner opening 3D of the inner box 3 is opened. Fig. 7 is a side view explaining the mounting of the inner box 3 to the outer box 2. Fig. 8 is a front view showing the packaging box 1.

First, as shown in FIG. 6, the worker cuts out a portion of the cover wall 35 of the inner box 3 along the drawer opening cut line 40A and the remaining amount check cut line 41A formed in the cover wall 35. This forms an inner drawer opening 40 and an inner remaining amount check hole 41 in the cover wall 35. The worker also grabs and pulls the tab 44 (see FIG. 4) of the inner end wall 31, and cuts out a portion of the inner end wall 31 (excluding the inner support portion 31A) along the drawer cutting line 43. This forms an inner opening 3D on one end surface in the longitudinal direction of the inner box 3. A portion of the contents M contained in the inner box 3 is exposed from the inner drawer opening 40, the inner remaining amount check hole 41, and the inner opening 3D.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the worker inserts the inner box 3 with the lid wall 35 facing forward and the inner opening 3D side at the front into the upper opening 2U of the outer box 2 (box body 2W). As shown in FIG. 8, the inner box 3 is attached to the box body 2W so that the inner opening 3D, which exposes the lowest content M, is positioned at the lower opening 2D. When the inner box 3 is attached to the box body 2W, the inner opening 3D of the inner box 3 is positioned at the lower opening 2D of the outer box 2. The lowest content M exposed from the inner opening 3D abuts against the upper ends of the pair of inner plate parts 16. That is, the pair of inner plate parts 16 support the lowest content M located at the lower opening 2D. In addition, the inner support part 31A abuts against the rear upper ends of the pair of inner plate parts 16 and the upper end of the auxiliary plate part 17. That is, the rear parts of the pair of inner plate parts 16 and the auxiliary plate part 17 support the lowest content M via the inner support part 31A.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the inner box 3 is attached to the box body 2W, the inner drawer opening 40 of the inner box 3 faces the second drawer opening 20B of the outer box 2, and the inner remaining amount check hole 41 of the inner box 3 faces the remaining amount check hole 21 of the outer box 2. The drawer opening 20 (mainly the second drawer opening 20B) exposes a portion of the lowest content M through the inner drawer opening 40. The remaining amount check hole 21 exposes a portion of the middle content M through the inner remaining amount check hole 41. To be precise, not only a portion of the lowest content M but also a portion of the second-lowest content M is exposed through the second drawer opening 20B.

Next, the worker folds the pair of upper flaps 14 inward along the second fold line L2, folds the top wall 15 inward along the second fold line L2, and inserts the insertion piece 18 folded at the insertion fold line L10 into the box body 2W (not shown). This closes the top opening 2U of the box body 2W, completing the assembly work of the packaging box 1 (see FIG. 1). The packaging box 1 can be easily assembled without using adhesives or adhesive tape. Note that in FIG. 7, the inner box 3 is attached to the outer box 2 from above downward, but this is not limited to the above, and the outer box 2 and inner box 3 may be in a lying position, and the inner box 3 may be slid laterally (horizontally) to be attached to the outer box 2.

[How to remove the contents]
Next, a method of removing the contents M contained in the packaging box 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 11. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are perspective views for explaining how to remove the contents M. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the contents M have been pulled out toward the front.

The user removes the bottommost content M from the box body 2W. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the user pinches the front side of the bottommost content M exposed at the drawer opening 20 (mainly the second drawer opening 20B) and pulls it down (vertically). The front side of the content M is pulled down while bending (flexing) at the pinched part (the center part in the left-right direction). The left and right ends of the front side of the content M fall off the upper ends of the pair of inner plate parts 16 and slide downward on the surface of the pair of inner plate parts 16. At this time, the content M is pulled down while spreading the pair of inner plate parts 16 outward against the elastic force of the pair of elastic pieces 22. When the bottommost content M is pulled down, the remaining content M falls by its own weight and is supported by the pair of inner plate parts 16 and the auxiliary plate part 17 (inner support part 31A).

As shown in FIG. 10, as the front side of the contents M is pulled down, the rear side of the contents M falls from the inner support portion 31A of the inner box 3 into the cutouts 23 of the pair of inner plate portions 16. When the user further pulls down the front side of the contents M, both left and right ends of the rear side of the contents M fall out of the cutouts 23 and fall while lightly contacting the surfaces of the pair of inner plate portions 16 (in the shape of the installation surface GL).

In this state, the entire bottommost contents M are placed in the removal space S directly below the bottom opening 2D. As shown in FIG. 11, the user pulls the contents M placed in the removal space S forward (horizontally) from the first pull-out opening 20A. In this manner, the contents M are removed from the packaging box 1. When the contents M are pulled forward from the first pull-out opening 20A, the left and right ends of the contents M are only lightly in contact with the surfaces of the pair of inner plate portions 16, and therefore the packaging box 1 does not move forward as the contents M are pulled out.

The user can check the remaining amount of the contents M by visually checking the contents M exposed in the remaining amount checking hole 21 (inner remaining amount checking hole 41). When all the contents M contained in the inner box 3 have been removed, the user opens the top wall 15 of the outer box 2 and pushes in the push-in piece 42 (see FIG. 3) of the inner box 3 (inner end wall 31) with his finger. The push-in piece 42 is bent along the pull-out fold line L20 while being hollowed out from the inner end wall 31 along the pull-out cut line 42A (not shown). The user hooks the finger that pushed in the push-in piece 42 on the inner end wall 31 and pulls out the emptied inner box 3 from the outer box 2 (not shown). After that, the user attaches a new inner box 3 containing multiple contents M to the inside of the outer box 2 (box body 2W).

In the packaging box 1 according to the present embodiment described above, when a user pulls down the contents M exposed at the drawer opening 20, the contents M bends upon contact with the pair of inner plate portions 16, and is pulled down while spreading the pair of inner plate portions 16 outward against the elastic force, and the rear portion (the side opposite the drawer opening 20) falls into the pair of cutout portions 23. According to this configuration, as the contents M are pulled down, the box body 2W is pressed against the installation surface GL, so that the box body 2W is prevented from moving in the horizontal direction (parallel to the installation surface GL) when the contents M are removed. This allows the user to easily remove the contents M without touching the box body 2W. As a result, even if multiple users use one packaging box 1, good hygiene can be maintained.

In addition, with the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the pair of inner plate portions 16 and the auxiliary plate portion 17 can support three sides of the contents M. Furthermore, the auxiliary plate portion 17 fits between the pair of inner plate portions 16, preventing the rear sides of the pair of inner plate portions 16 from falling inward more than necessary. This allows the contents M to be firmly supported by the front upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16, and also makes it possible to smoothly pull down the contents M without the rear upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 getting caught on the contents M.

In addition, with the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the empty inner box 3 can be pulled out from the box body 2W, and the inner box 3 containing the multiple contents M can be attached to the box body 2W, allowing the multiple contents M to be easily and quickly replenished.

In addition, with the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, when the inner box 3 is attached to the box body 2W, an inner support portion 31A that comes into contact with the lowest content M is provided on the edge (rear side) of the inner opening 3D, which is opposite the pull-out opening 20. With this configuration, the inner support portion 31A can prevent the content M from spilling out of the inner box 3. This allows the inner box 3 to be smoothly attached to the box body 2W.

If the elastic piece 22 were formed near the folded portion (third fold line L3) of the inner plate portion 16, the inner plate portion 16 would be significantly tilted inward, and the contents M would interfere with the inner plate portion 16 and would not be able to be pulled down. In contrast, in the packaging box 1 according to the present embodiment, when the inner plate portion 16 is folded back, the elastic piece 22 is folded back from the bottom to the top, and its upper end coincides with the upper end of the inner plate portion 16. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the inclination of the inner plate portion 16 relative to the side wall 10. In addition, since the elastic force of the elastic piece 22 acts at a position away from the pivot point (folded portion) of the inner plate portion 16, the inner plate portion 16 can be tilted with a small elastic force. As a result, even if the contents M bend when in contact with the inner plate portion 16, the inner plate portion 16 can be pushed outward.

In the packaging box 1 according to the present embodiment, the elastic piece 22 is formed in a rectangular shape above and in front of the inner plate portion 16, but the present invention is not limited to this. The position, size, shape, etc. of the elastic piece 22 may be changed as appropriate, provided that the contents M can be pulled down while the pair of inner plate portions 16 are spread outward. In addition, the upper end of the elastic piece 22 coincides with the upper end of the inner plate portion 16, but the upper end of the elastic piece 22 may be shifted above or below the upper end of the inner plate portion 16 (not shown). In addition, the elastic piece 22 is folded upward, but this is not limited to this, and the elastic piece 22 may be folded downward, forward, or backward (not shown).

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the cutout 23 is recessed in the middle of the inner plate 16 in the front-to-rear direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cutout 23 may be recessed downward from the upper end of the inner plate 16 at a position other than the vicinity of the drawer opening 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the cutout 23 may be cut out from the middle of the inner plate 16 in the front-to-rear direction to the rear end. In addition, the position, size, shape, etc. of the cutout 23 may be changed as appropriate, provided that both left and right ends of the rear side of the pulled-down contents M can enter.

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the auxiliary plate portion 17 is connected to the rear wall 11, but the auxiliary plate portion 17 may be omitted. If the auxiliary plate portion 17 is omitted, for example, the inner plate protrusion portion 16A of the inner plate portion 16 may be extended rearward, and a hole may be drilled in the rear wall 11 into which the inner plate protrusion portion 16A fits loosely (not shown). This allows the inner plate portion 16 to be held in a folded-back state, and the inner plate portion 16 can be swung around the lower end as a fulcrum.

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the elastic pieces 22 are formed on the inner plate portions 16 of the outer box 2, but this is not limiting and the elastic pieces 22 may be omitted (not shown). In this case, the pair of inner plate portions 16 move away from the inner surface of the side wall 10 (become inclined) due to the restoring force (elastic force) of the bent portion with the ground portion 19 (around the third fold line L3).

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the second drawer opening 20B (inner drawer opening 40), remaining amount check hole 21 (inner remaining amount check hole 41), and push-in piece 42 are formed in a semicircular shape, but the position, size, shape, etc. of these may be changed as appropriate, or may be omitted.

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the bottom surface of the inner box 3 is configured as a one-touch bottom, and the top surface is configured as a single lid wall 35, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inner box 3 may be of the so-called Type A type, in which the bottom surface and the top surface are configured by butting a pair of flaps together.

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the inner box 3 is detachably attached to the outer box 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. The inner box 3 may be omitted, and the contents M may be contained in the outer box 2 (box body 2W). In other words, the packaging box 1 may be composed of only the outer box 2. In this case, the lowest content M is supported by the upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions 16 and auxiliary plate portion 17. In addition, a support plate portion corresponding to the inner support portion 31A of the inner box 3 may be extended forward from the upper end of the auxiliary plate portion 17 (not shown).

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the box body 2W is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, corner walls (not shown) may be provided between a pair of side walls 10 and the rear wall 11 (or/and the front wall 12), and the box body 2W may be formed in a cylindrical shape with a hexagonal or octagonal cross section. The inner box 3 is similar (not shown).

In addition, in the packaging box 1 according to this embodiment, the outer box 2 is formed from a paper corrugated cardboard sheet, and the inner box 3 is formed from paperboard, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the outer box 2 may be formed from paperboard, and the inner box 3 may be formed from a corrugated cardboard sheet. Alternatively, the outer box 2 and the inner box 3 may be formed from a resin plate or the like. In addition, the dimensions (width, depth, height) and shape of each part of the packaging box 1 (outer box 2, inner box 3), the thickness of the cardboard sheet, the direction in which the core 9A extends, the thickness of the paperboard, the grain direction, etc. may be freely changed.

The above embodiment is merely an example of the packaging box of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical concept, and the claims include all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical concept.

1 Packaging box 2D Bottom opening 2W Box body 3 Inner box 3D Inner opening 10 Side wall 11 Rear wall (end wall)
12 Front wall (end wall)
16 Inner plate portion 17 Auxiliary plate portion 20A First drawer opening 20B Second drawer opening 22 Elastic piece 23 Defective portion 31A Inner support portion M Contents S Removal space

Claims (6)

a box body (2W) which is formed in a cylindrical shape including a pair of side walls (10) and a pair of end walls (11, 12) and has a bottom opening (2D) at its bottom end, and in which flexible contents (M) are stored in a vertically stacked state;
a pair of inner plate portions (16) connected to the lower ends of the pair of side walls, folded back on the inside of the pair of side walls, and supporting the lowest content located at the bottom opening;
A drawer opening (20) is formed in the lower portion of one of the end walls (12) to expose a portion of the lowest content and to open a take-out space (S) between a pair of the inner plate portions directly below the bottom opening,
Each of the inner plate portions has a recess (23) recessed downward from an upper end of the inner plate portion at a position other than the vicinity of the drawer opening portion,
A packaging box characterized in that, when a user pulls down on the contents exposed at the drawer opening to remove the lowest content from the box body, the contents bend as they come into contact with a pair of inner plate portions, and are pulled down while spreading the pair of inner plate portions outward, so that the side opposite the drawer opening enters a pair of the missing portions. The container further includes an auxiliary plate portion (17) that is connected to the other end wall, is folded back to the inside of the other end wall, and is inserted between the pair of inner plate portions to support the lowest content,
2. The packaging box according to claim 1, wherein upper ends of the pair of inner plate portions are inclined so that the distance therebetween narrows toward the drawer opening when viewed from above. The packaging box according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an inner box (3) that contains a plurality of the contents, has an inner opening (3D) that exposes the lowest one of the contents, and is attached to the box body so that the inner opening is positioned at the bottom opening. When the inner box is attached to the box body, an inner support portion (31A) that comes into contact with the lowest content is provided on an edge of the inner opening opposite to the drawer opening,
4. The packaging box according to claim 3, wherein the pair of inner plate portions support the lowermost content via the inner support portion. The packaging box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each of the inner plate portions further has an elastic piece (22) that, when folded back, elastically contacts the inner surface of the side wall and pulls the inner plate portion away from the inner surface of the side wall. With the inner plate portion folded back, the elastic piece is folded back from below to above,
6. The packaging box according to claim 5, wherein, in a state where the folded elastic piece is overlapped with the inner plate portion, an upper end of the elastic piece coincides with an upper end of the inner plate portion.

Images