US2964227A

US2964227A - Cardboard box

Info

Publication number: US2964227A
Application number: US710641A
Authority: US
Inventors: Goldsholl Morton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-01-23
Filing date: 1958-01-23
Publication date: 1960-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1977-12-13

Description

1950 M. GOLDSHOLL 2,964,227

CARDBOARD BOX Filed Jan. 23, 1958 INVENTOR.

. a; J4 J gzara GbaZzh/J MM vw CARDBOARD BOX Morton 'Goldsholl, 201 N. Wells, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Jan. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 710,641

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-21) This invention relates to a new and useful box or carton made of cardboard or the like, and blanks therefor which are adapted readily to be set up and converted to finished form for the packaging of various items.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 619,795, filed November 1, 1956, now abandoned, on a folding box, and application Serial No. 644,755, filed March 8, 1957, now abandoned, on a folding box. Both of these applications disclose a cardboard box having a very unusual and attractive shape and construction, the box having a pair of main, outwardly-bowed, side walls meeting at acute angles in opposite straight edges, and one or more inwardly-bowed closure end walls bridging the spaced margins of the outwardly-bowed main side walls. In application Serial No. 644,755, the inwardly-bowed end Walls each comprises a pair of overlapping closure flaps joining the main side walls along respective inwardly-bowed fold lines extending to the adjacent corners of the box. The rigidity of the cardboard material out of which the box was made enables the closure flaps to maintain their inwardlybowed shape until pulled back to open the box.

One aspect thereof of the present invention relates to an improvement in the box constructions disclosed in said application Serial No. 644,755 in that the improved box has greater rigidity although made from the same cardboard material. Other aspects of the present invention, however, have application to other types of boxes, although they are especially useful with boxes of the type just described.

In the preferred form of the present invention, a cardboard blank is provided having two main, substantially identical panels separated by a straight fold line which enables the two panels to be superimposed. Each of the panels preferably has an outer straight side opposite and extending generally parallel to said straight fold line, and either one or both of the other sides of the panels have outwardly-bowed contours. Opposite each of the outwardly-bowed edges of the panels is a similarly shaped, but oppositely or inwardly-bowed fold line which defines therewith a convex-concave closure flap-forming area. This much of the blank forms a box of the type shown in said application Serial No. 644,755.

In accordance with the present invention, one of the main panels of the blank is provided with a tongue extending from the above-mentioned outer straight side thereof. The tongue has a pair of spaced parallel fold lines extending generally parallel to said straight side of the main panel, the fold lines defining three adjacent sub-panels. The innermost and outermost of these subpanels have a width in the neighborhood of one-half the width of each of said main panels of the carton blank and the intermediate sub-panel has a width approximately equal to the spacing desired between the mid points of the main outwardly-bowed main panels of the side walls of the box, which is the'distance between the widest nited States atet points of the bowed margins of the convex-concave clo sure flaps.

The box is formed by folding the above-mentioned tongue along the spaced fold lines thereof to provide a generally Z-shaped structure which is extended between the main panels when folded along said straight fold line at the adjacent perimeters thereof. The two panels are secured together by cementing together the innermost edge of the innermost sub-panel of said tongue along the inside surface of the main panel from which the tongue does not extend. The box is completed by folding inwardly the adjacent convex-concavo blank areas which will snap into an inwardly-bowed shape to form overlapping convex-concavo flaps which force the main panels apart unto outwardly-bowed shapes. Then the tongue is in proper position to increase the rigidity of the box. The innermost sub-panel of the tongue then extends gen erally along one-half the width of one of the main panels of the box, with the intermediate sub-panel thereof extending transversely between the medial portions of the main panels of the box. The outermost sub-panel of the tongue extends along one-half the width of the other main panel of the box.

One advantage of the tongue construction described above is that the intermediate sub-panel thereof, which extends transversely between the central regions of the outwardly-bowed panels, braces the panels against inward fiexure to provide a relatively rigid box structure from relatively thin cardboard stock. Since the entire box including said tongue is made of a single sheet of relatively inexpensive cardboard material, all of the abovementioned advantages are obtained with a minimum of expense.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the box in Fig. 1 in a collapsed condition for shipping or storage purposes;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cardboard blank from which the box of Figs. 1 and 2 is constructed;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the box, taken along section line 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the box, taken along section line 55 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the closure flaps in an opened position.

The carton blank shown in Fig. 3 is most advantageously made of a single, die-cut piece of semi-rigid, relatively thin cardboard material. The blank has two adjacent complementary

main panels

10 and 12 connected together along adjacent sides of their perimeters. A straight fold line 14 is formed at the juncture of the

panels

10 and 12 by scoring the cardboard. Panel 10 has outwardly-bowed or convex outer edges 16-46 and the panel 12 has similar outwardly-bowed or convex outer edges 18-18, the innermost ends of adjacent edges 16 18 intersecting at the ends of the fold line 14. The panel 12 has a straight outer edge or side 20 which extends parallel to the fold line 14 and joins the associated convex edges 18-18 at corners 21-21, and the panel 10 has a straight outer side or margin defined by a fold line 22 which is parallel to fold line 14 and is formed by scoring the cardboard blank. The fold line 22 joins] the associated convex edges 1616 at corners 2323. When the panel 12 is folded along the fold line 14, the

straight outer edge 20 of the panel 12 will fall along the fold line 22 of panel 10, and the convex edges 18--18 thereof will fall along convex edges 16-46 of panel 10.

Patented Dec. 13, 1960 I Opposite the convex edges 16-16, the panel has inwardly or concave bowed fold lines 28-28 whose 1nner ends respectively meet at the ends of the fold line 14 and whose outer ends meet at the corners 23-23 of the panel 1%. The other panel 12 of the blank is provided with inwardly-bowed or concave fold lines -39 WhQSc inner ends intersect the ends of the straight fold line. 14 and Whose outer ends intersect the corners 21-21 of the panel 12. The inwardly-bowed fold lines 28-28 and 30-39 are formed by scoring the cardboard blank, and are of the same approximate size and shape as are the outwardly-bowed or convex edges 16-16 and 18-18 of the blank. The panel sections outside of the inwardlybowed fold lines thus form similar convex-concavg, closure-flap forming areas identified respectively by reference numerals 32-32 and 34-34. If desired, one of the closure-forming areas 341 may be provided with a finger-receiving notch 35 formed in the convex edge 1% thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, the cardboard blank is provided with a generally rectangular tongue 38 extending from the straight side 22 of one of the panels 10. The juncture of the tongue 38 and the panel 10 is defined by a fold line running along the straight side 22 of the panel 19. The inner end of the tongue 33 has outwardly inclined marginal portions which extend substantially tangentially to the convex edges 16-16 of the panel 10 and join the latter at their points of intersection with the inwardly-bowed fold lines 28-28. The tongue 38 has a pair of spaced, straight fold lines 40-42 formed by scoring of the cardboard blank, which fold lines extend parallel to the fold line 22 at the juncture between the tongue and the panel 10. The fold lines 40-42 divide the tongue into three adjacent subpanels or legs, namely an innermost sub-panel or leg 44, an intermediate sub-panel or leg 46 and an outermost sub-panel or leg 43. The innermost and outermost sub-panels 44 and 4S both have a width in the neighborhood of one-half the Width of either the main panel 19 or 12. The intermediate sub-panel 46 has a width approximately equal to the maximum width of the convexconcavo closure-

flap forming area

32 or 34. The innermost sub-panel is provided with a narrow strip 50 of adhesive material by means of which the panel 12 may be fixed in superimposed relationship over the panel 10 in a manner to be explained.

To fabricate the box from the blank, the tongue 38 is first folded along the

fold lines

40 and 42 to form a generally Z-shapcd structure with the innermost panel 4-4 extending generally along the adjacent half of the associated

main panel

10 or 12 of the blank. The tongue is folded along the fold line 22 at the juncture between the tongue 38 and the panel 11 so that the adhesive strip 50 is exposed. Then the other panel 12 is folded along the straight fold line 14 to bring the straight edge 20 thereof over the straight side 22 of the panel 10. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5, with the

panels

10 and 12 superimposed in this manner, the adhesive strip 50 on the innermost sub-panel 44 of the tongue .38 is in position to adhesively engage with the inside of the panel 12 adjacent the straight edge 21 thereof. The resultant partially fabricated box then has the flat shape shown in Fig. 2. Large numbers of such partially-fabricated filat blanks may be compactly stacked for storage or shipment.

To complete the fabrication of the box, the convexconcavo flap forming portions 34-34 of the panel 12 are folded inwardly in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6, the rigidity of the cardboard material causing each of them to snap into a concave or inwardly bowed shape following the outlines of the associated inwardly-bowed fold line 30. The outer edges of the flaps 34-34 engage the inner surface of the panel 10 and, in so doing, expand both panels 143 and 12 into the outwardly-bowedshape illustrated. The other flap-forming portions 32-32 are then folded over the flaps 34-44, the resultant fiaps also snapping into the inwardly-bowed shape following the inwardly-bowed fold lines 28-28. The resultant box thus has a pair of outwardly-bowed main side Walls 10-12 meeting on opposite straight edges 14-20 and raving inwardly-bowed end closure walls.

With the box in this fully assembled condition, the Z-shaped folded tongue 38 between the main panels or

walls

10 and 12 of the box occupy the position shown in Fig. 5, with the innermost and

outermost panels

44 and 48 extending generally along the different respective halves of the

box walls

10 and 12 and the intermediate sub-panel 46 extending generally transversely of the medial portions of the outwardly-bowed walls 10 and 12- to brace the latter walls against inward flexure.

The present invention has thus provided a very attractive folding box having appreciable rigidity despite the fact that the box is made of a single piece of relatively thin, inexpensive cardboard or cardboard-like material.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made of the preferred form of the invention above described without deviating from the broader aspects of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A carton blank comprising a single sheet of semirigid material having adjacent, substantially identical, complementary main panels adapted to form opposite walls of the box and hinged together along a straight fold line formed in the blank, said main panels having similarly sized and shaped and correspondingly located inwardly-bowed fold lines extending generally transversely of said straight fold line and running from corresponding corners of said main panels and meeting at the adjacent end of said straight fold line between said main panels, at least one of said panels having an outer edge opposite the associated inwardly-bowed fold line which edge bows outwardly approximately the same amount as the latter inwardly-bowed fold line bows inwardly to form therewith a convex-concave closure flap-forming area, said main panels each further having a straight outer side which extends generally parallel to said straight fold line, and one of said main panels having a tongue extending from said straight outer side thereof, said tongue having a pair of spaced straight fold lines extending parallel to the latter straight outer side and forming three contiguous subpanels, the innermost and outermost of which having widths in the neighborhood of one half the width of each of said panels, the intermediate sub-panel having a width equal to the desired spacing of the centers of said main panels, said blank forming a box structure when said tongue is folded inwardly along said fold lines thereof and is inserted between said main panels which are folded along said straight fold line at the adjacent perimeters thereof and the of the tongue is secured along the straight outs" side of the panel from which it does not extend and, further, when said convex-concave closure flap-forming area is folded inwardly, to form self-locking, overlapping, inwardly-bowed flaps.

2. A box comprising a folded blank made of a single sheet of semi-rigid material having at least two panels joined together at their sides to form a box having at least two opposite box side walls forming pointed box sides, said blank having a tongue extending from one of said panels which tongue is folded into a generally 2- shaped structure having an innermost, an intermediate and an outermost leg, said innermost and outermost legs of said tongue extending generally along different respec tive halves of said opposite box side walls, and said intermediate leg extending generally transversely of and between the medial portions of said opposite box side walls to lend rigidity to the box.

3. Abox made from a one-piece carton blank of semirigid material, said box comprising opposite outwardlybowed side walls meeting in opposite straight side edges,

one of said outwardly-bowed side walls having a tongue located within the box and extending therefrom along the adjacent straight edge of the box, said tongue being folded into a generally Z-shaped structure, the intermediate leg thereof extending generally transversely between medial portions of said outwardly-bowed side walls to lend rigidity thereto, the outermost leg thereof extending to a point adjacent the opposite straight edge of the box, and a closure for at least one end of said box comprising a pair of closure flaps extending respectively from said outwardly-bowed side walls along inwardly-bowed hingeforming fold lines in the carton material which fold lines extend to the corners of the adjacent side edges of the box, said closure flaps when folded inwardly along said inwardly-bowed fold lines snapping shut into an inwardly-bowed shape by virtue of the rigidity of the carton material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,670 Currivan June 23, 1953 359,435 Elliott Mar. 15, 1887 1,404,193 Dietsche Ian. 24, 1922 1,603,809 Seacord Oct. 19, 1926 1,706,300 Kakaley Mar. 19, 1929 2,569,018 Priester Sept. 25, 1951 2,607,524 Gerson Aug. 19, 1952 2,804,258 Petter Aug. 27, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 768,763 Great Britain Feb. 20, 1957