US20080302790A1

US20080302790A1 - Foldable Box Structure

Info

Publication number: US20080302790A1
Application number: US12/196,873
Authority: US
Inventors: Yaw-Tzer CHEN
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-22
Filing date: 2008-08-22
Publication date: 2008-12-11

Abstract

A foldable box structure comprises two main bodies and at least four actuation bodies. Each of the main bodies has a first lateral and a second lateral. Each of the actuation bodies has a first pivotal edge and a second pivotal edge. The first pivotal edges of the actuation bodies are pivotally coupled to the first laterals and second laterals of the main bodies to form rotation axes. The actuation bodies, which are coupled to the main bodies and at the same side of the main body, are pivotally coupled to each other in the second pivotal edges to form other rotation axes. The actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to the rotation axes and stacked between the main bodies to have a close state. The actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to the rotation axes to expand together with the main bodies and have an open state.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a foldable box structure, particularly to a foldable box structure having boxes receiving articles and actuating each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For box structures usually seen in the market, please refer to Taiwan patents Nos. 341164, M244279, M254427, M268313, M274327, M274328 and M294234, a China patent No. CN2392421, and a U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,616.
Among them, the box structures disclosed in the Taiwan patents Nos. 341164 and M294234 has a plurality of boxes and a housing that can be scrolled into a cylinder. The boxes are arranged in different vertical and horizontal positions of the housing. When the housing is scrolled, the boxes are also scrolled into the housing. When the housing is expanded, the boxes are also expanded to have a form of stairsteps. However, the entire structure is only supported by the lowest box when the housing is expanded. Thus, the prior-art box structure is unstable and apt to topple, and the articles thereinside are likely to drop.
The Taiwan patents Nos. M244279, M268313, M274327 and M274328 all disclosed a gift box structure comprising a base seat, a top cover, and a plurality of boxes. The boxes are arranged between the top cover and the base seat and pivotally rotatable with respect to the base seat. When a user intends to take out an article in the base seat, he has to open the top cover and sequentially rotate the boxes to reveal the base seat. When the user intends to restore the article to the base seat, he has to sequentially rotate the boxes and close the top cover. Therefore, the operation of the prior-art gift box is complicated and time-consuming. The China patent No. CN2392421 disclosed a cosmetic box structure, which has a plurality of boxes stacked layer by layer at two sides thereof. Each box is coupled to the overhead box with a connecting rod, whereby the boxes can be expanded to have a form of stairsteps. However, the article in the lowest box cannot be taken out unless all the boxes thereabove are sequentially opened. Therefore, the prior-art cosmetic box is also inconvenient to use.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,616 and Taiwan patent No. M254427 disclosed a foldable and stackable box structure, which comprises a plurality of boxes. Every box has an upper casing and a lower casing, which are pivotally coupled to each other. The adjacent boxes are pivotally coupled to each other via the upper casing or lower casing thereof. When the box structure is opened, the upper and lower casings are pivotally rotated and expanded. When the box structure is closed, the upper and lower casings are pivotally rotated and stacked.
In all the conventional box structures mentioned above, a user cannot see and reach the article in one box unless he sequentially opens the boxes thereabove, and then he has to sequentially close the opened boxes after usage. Therefore, the conventional box structures mentioned above all have a disadvantage of inconvenient operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foldable box structure, wherein the boxes thereof can be expanded simultaneously, whereby a user can conveniently take out an article from one of the boxes or place an article in one of the boxes.
To achieve the abovementioned objective, the present invention proposes a foldable box structure, which comprises two main bodies and at least four actuation bodies arranged between the main bodies. Each of the main bodies has a first lateral and a second lateral. Each of the actuation bodies has a first pivotal edge and a second pivotal edge. The first pivotal edges of the actuation bodies are pivotally coupled to the first laterals and the second laterals of the main bodies to form rotation axes. The actuation bodies, which have been coupled to the main bodies and are at the same side of the main body, are pivotally coupled to each other in the second pivotal edges to form other rotation axes. The actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to the rotation axes and stacked between the main bodies to have a close state. The actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to the rotation axes to expand together with the main bodies and have an open state. A user can completely open or close the foldable box structure via only operating the main bodies to automatically rotate the actuation bodies. Thus, the foldable box structure of the present invention is easy to operate.
Therefore, the operation of the present invention is simple and time-saving in comparison with the prior arts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a close state of a foldable box structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the operation of a foldable box structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an open state of a foldable box structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along Line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a close state of a foldable box structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing an open state of a foldable box structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Below, the technical contents of the present invention are described in detail in cooperation with the drawings
Refer to FIG. 1. The present invention proposes a foldable box structure 1 comprising two main bodies 10 and 20 and at least four actuation bodies 30 arranged between the main bodies 10 and 20 and linked to each other or to the main body 10/20. The main bodies 10 and 20 respectively have fastening members 13 and 23 used to secure the actuation bodies 30 between the main bodies 10 and 20. The upper main body 20 has a holding member 24, whereby a user can conveniently carry about the foldable box structure 1. Refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The main bodies 10 and 20 have an identical base area. The main body 10 has a first lateral 11 and a second lateral 12. The main body 20 has a first lateral 21 and a second lateral 22. Each of the actuation bodies 30 has a base area of about half the base area of the main body 10/20 and has a first pivotal edge 31 and a second pivotal edge 32. The first pivotal edges 31 of the actuation bodies 30 are pivotally coupled to the first laterals 11 and 21 and the second laterals 12 and 22 of the main bodies 10 and 20 to form rotation axes. The actuation bodies 30, which have been coupled to the main bodies 10 and 20 and are at the same side of the main body 10 or 20, are pivotally coupled to each other in the second pivotal edges 32 to form other rotation axes. At least one pivotal member 14 or 33 is installed in the rotation axis. The pivotal members 14 and 33 may be hinges coupling the flexible lateral boards of the main body 10/20 and the actuation body 30 or coupling the flexible lateral boards of the actuation bodies 30. The flexible lateral board is made of cloth, leather, or plastic. Thereby, the actuation bodies 30 rotate pivotally with respect to the rotation axes to stack between the main bodies 10 and 20 and have a close state, as shown in FIG. 1, or the actuation bodies 30 rotate pivotally with respect to the rotation axes to expand together with the main bodies 10 and 20 and have a open state, as shown in FIG. 3. Above is described the structure of the present invention. Once a user lifts one of the main bodies 10 and 20, the actuation bodies 30 are also automatically opened simultaneously, and the user can see at the same time all the articles placed in the foldable box structure 1, such as cosmetics, skin-care products and accessories. After usage, the user folds up the main bodies 10 and 20, and the actuation bodies 30 are automatically stacked into between the main bodies 10 and 20. Therefore, the operation of the foldable box structure 1 of the present invention is simple and time-saving.
In the main body 10, the first lateral 11 and the second lateral 12 form a first contained angle θ1. In the main body 20, the first lateral 21 and the second lateral 22 also form the first contained angle θ1. Two actuation bodies 30 are pivotally coupled at the second pivotal edges 32 thereof. The first laterals 11 and 21 (or the second laterals 12 and 22), which are respectively near two borders of the coupled actuation bodies 30, form a second contained angle θ2. The first contained angle θ1 and the second contained angle θ2 limit the open angle of the foldable box structure 1. The first contained angle θ1 may be equal to the second contained angle θ2. As shown in FIG. 3, the first contained angle θ1 and the second contained angle θ2 are both of 90 degrees. When the foldable box structure 1 is opened, the main bodies 10 and 20 and the actuation bodies 30 are expanded to lie on a same plane. In the present invention, the foldable box structure 1 is not limited to have a heart shape but may have another shape, such as the diamond shape of a foldable box structure 1 a shown in FIG. 5. Refer to FIG. 6. The first contained angle θ1 a and the second contained angle θ2 a of the foldable box structure 1 a are both smaller than 90 degrees. For example, the first contained angle θ1 a and the second contained angle θ2 a ate of 60 degrees or 75 degrees. When the foldable box structure 1 a is opened, the main bodies 10 and 20 and the actuation bodies 30 are limited by the first contained angle θ1 a and the second contained angle θ2 a and lie on different planes. Thus, the opened foldable box structure 1 a has a 3-D configuration.
In the present invention, the rotation axes are formed between the main body 10/20 and the actuation body 30 and also formed between two actuation bodies 30; the first contained angle θ1 and the second contained angle θ2 formed by the rotation axes control the open angle of the foldable box structure 1. A user needn't operate the main bodies 10 and 20 and the actuation bodies 30 one by one to open or close the foldable box structure 1; he can completely open or close the foldable box structure 1 via only operating the main bodies 10 and 20 to automatically rotate the actuation bodies 30. Therefore, the foldable box structure 1 of the present invention is easy to operate.
Compared with the prior arts, the present invention has the advantage of simple and time-saving operation.
The embodiments described above are only to exemplify the present invention but not to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modification or variation according to the spirit of the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A foldable box structure comprising

two main bodies each having a first lateral and a second lateral; and

at least four actuation bodies each having a first pivotal edge and a second pivotal edge, wherein said first pivotal edges of said actuation bodies are pivotally coupled to said first laterals and said second laterals of said main bodies to form rotation axes; said actuation bodies, which have been coupled to said main bodies and are at a same side of said main body, are pivotally coupled to each other in said second pivotal edges to form other rotation axes; said actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to said rotation axes and stacked between said main bodies to have a close state; said actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to said rotation axes to expand together with said main bodies and have an open state.

2. The foldable box structure according to claim 1, wherein said two main bodies have an identical base area; said first lateral and said second lateral are symmetrically arranged at two sides of said main body.

3. The foldable box structure according to claim 2, wherein each of said actuation bodies has a base area of about one half of the base area of said main body.

4. The foldable box structure according to claim 1, wherein said first lateral and said second lateral of said main body form a first contained angle; said first laterals or said second laterals form a second contained angle; said first contained angle and said second contained angle limit an open angle of said foldable box structure.

5. The foldable box structure according to claim 4, wherein said first contained angle is equal to said second contained angle.

6. The foldable box structure according to claim 5, wherein said first contained angle and said second contained angle are both of 90 degrees; said main bodies and said actuation bodies are expanded to lie on a same plane in said open state.

7. The foldable box structure according to claim 5, wherein said first contained angle and said second contained angle are smaller than 90 degrees; said main bodies and said actuation bodies are expanded to lie on different planes in said open state.

8. The foldable box structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one pivotal member is installed in said rotation axis.

9. The foldable box structure according to claim 8, wherein said pivotal member is a hinge.

10. The foldable box structure according to claim 8, wherein said pivotal member couples flexible lateral boards of said main body and said actuation body or couples flexible lateral boards of said actuation bodies.

11. A foldable box structure comprising

two main bodies each having a first lateral and a second lateral forming a first contained angle, opening or closing relatively to have an open state or a close state, and having an open angle in said open state; and

a plurality of actuation bodies each having a first pivotal edge and a second pivotal edge, wherein said first pivotal edges are pivotally coupled to said first laterals and said second laterals of said main bodies to form rotation axes; said actuation bodies, which have been coupled to said main bodies and are at a same side of said main body, are pivotally coupled to each other in said second pivotal edges to form other rotation axes; said first laterals or said second laterals form a second contained angle; in a close state, said actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to said rotation axes and stacked between said main bodies; in an open state, said actuation bodies are pivotally rotated with respect to said rotation axes to expand together with said main bodies; said first contained angle and said second contained angle limit an open angle of said two main bodies.

12. The foldable box structure according to claim 11, wherein said first contained angle is equal to said second contained angle.

13. The foldable box structure according to claim 11, wherein said first contained angle and said second contained angle are both of 90 degrees; said foldable box structure is expanded to lie on a same plane in said open state.

14. The foldable box structure according to claim 11, wherein said first contained angle and said second contained angle are smaller than 90 degrees; said foldable box structure is expanded to lie on different planes in said open state.

15. The foldable box structure according to claim 11, wherein said two main bodies have an identical base area; said first lateral and said second lateral are symmetrically arranged at two sides of said main body.

16. The foldable box structure according to claim 15, wherein each of said actuation bodies has a base area of about one half of the base area of said main body.

17. The foldable box structure according to claim 11, wherein at least one pivotal member is installed in said rotation axis.

18. The foldable box structure according to claim 17, wherein said pivotal member is a hinge.

19. The foldable box structure according to claim 17, wherein said pivotal member couples flexible lateral boards of said main body and said actuation body or couples flexible lateral boards of said actuation bodies.