US3317115A

US3317115A - Box construction

Info

Publication number: US3317115A
Application number: US458027A
Authority: US
Inventors: Conescu Sidney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-05-24
Filing date: 1965-05-24
Publication date: 1967-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-02

Description

May 2, 1967 s. CONESCU 3,31'?,115

BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24, 1965 F|G.1 F317 15 17 I9 19 1 m2 T [i Q51; F9 17 15 3o F9 3o 1 i mm INVENTOR.

/ f Sidney Conescu 13 20B 14 24 20A 12 BY @flMMV ATTORNEY 3,317,115 BOX CONSTRUCTION Sidney Conescu, 188 Beach 147th St., Neponsit, N.Y. Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,027 14 (Ilaims. (Cl. 229-63) This invention relates in general to a folding box, and more specifically to a folding box which is preformed in a particular manner tofacilitate the folding of the box between an inoperative unfolded position and an operative folded position.

The folding boxes of the type to which this invention relates are widely used in commerce for packaging and boxing various kinds of articles. Such folding boxes are generally shipped to a customer, as for example, a retail store or the like, in a blank or unfolded position, thereby enabling the unfolded blanks to be suitably stored in a minimum of space. The blanks of such boxes are generally prescored so that the individual blanks may be readily folded and set up into its box forming position for receiving the article to be packed therein.

Heretofore, a considerable amount of time and effort was required to individually fold each such prescored blank to erect the box. Also, such boxes due to the inherent construction thereof were generally weak in the corner portions thereof. For this reason, boxes of this type were relatively difficult to set up and further, when set up they presented a generally structurally Weak and unsatisfactory box.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved folding box construction that is relatively simple .in construction, positive in operation, and relatively simple to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved folding box construction that is partially preformed in the unfolded position thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved folding box construction that is partially preformed in a manner that will expedite the folding of the partially preformed box between its collapsed position and its folded or erected, box forming position.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved folding box construction constructed with reinforced corner portions without increasing the paper board content thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a folding box construction with an improved reinforcing corner tab that greatly enhances the structure of the overall box as well as to enhance the erection thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a folding box that is constructed from a single rectangularly shaped blank to minimize waste.

It is another object of this invention to provide a folding box construction in which the maximum number of expanded blanks may be formed from a single sheet of standard size stock material.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved folding box construction with preformed corner portions whereby expanded blank with such preformed corners can be readily folded between the expanded unfolded position and the folded box position.

The foregoing objects and other features and advantages are readily attained by a folding box which is formed from a single rectangular blank of foldable sheet material. The rectangular blank, from which the box of the instant invention is formed, is provided with a plurality of transversely extending fold lines for dividing the plane of the blank into a front panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel connected in end-to-end relationship wherein the front and back panels are hingedly connected along the opposed longitudinally extending edges of the bottom panel. Con- United States Patent 3,311,115 Patented May 2, 1967 "ice nected to the remote end of the respective front and back panels is a top forming flap. In the assembled position of the box the respective top forming flaps are adapted to overlap one another to form the top of the box.

The respective top flaps are each provided with top corner forming tabs hingedly connected about a fold line coincident with the opposed end portions of the respective top forming flaps.

In accordance with this invention, a continuous side flap is hingedly connected about a fold line extending along the opposed marginal portions of the front, bottom, and back panels. continuous side flaps may be reversely folded onto the plane of the adjacent front, bottom, and back panels along the marginal portion thereof. A slit or die cut partitions the respective continuous side forming flaps into a pair of side flap portions, with the corresponding pair of side flap portions in the erected position of the box being adapted to overlie one another to define the side wall of the box.

In accordance with this invention, a bottom corner tab portion is hingedly connected to one of the side forming flap portions and the end of the bottom wall panel. Each of the bottom corner forming tabs is provided with a diagonally extending fold line about which the bottom corner forming tab is adapted to be reversely folded in the assembled or erected position of the blank.

A tab tail is hingedly connected along a fold line parallel to the fold line about which the corner tab is hingedly connected to the adjacent side forming flap portion. Accordingly, in the partially preformed position of the blank the tab tail is adapted to overlie the panel portion of the box remote from the panel portion to which the adjacent side panel forming flap is connected. The opposed corner portions of the respective continuous side flap adjacent the corresponding top flap are also formed with a diagonal extending crease line to define a corner area adhesively secured by a suitable bonding agent to the corresponding portion of the adjacent upper corner tabs. The bottom corner tab and the adjacent tail portion are adhesively secured to the bottom panel and adjacent back panel so that in the partially preformed position of the box, the respective upper and bottom corner portions of the box are adhesively secured to the corresponding adjacent structure of the box. In the partially preformed or expanded position of the box, the respective side flaps and the top flaps are disposed in overlapping position onto the inside surface of the adjacent portions of the front, bottom, and side panels of the box so that erection of the box may be accomplished simply by bending the respective front and back panels degrees with respect to the bottom wall. Due to the preformed structure of the box, the respective side flaps and top flaps will automatically assume their box forming position in the erected position of the box.

Means in the form of locking tabs are provided to maintain the box in its erected position.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of a folding box having preformed corner portions constructed and arranged so as to enhance the folding of the box between its unfolded and folded positions, and which box when in its folded position is formed with reinforced cornersj Another feature of this invention resides in an improved bottom corner forming flap which is preformed to enhance the ease with which the preformed blank may be folded to erected box forming position.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision that the improved bottom corner forming flap for a folding box extends beyond the adjacent bottom wall of the box to reinforce the corner defined thereby.

Another feature of this invention is to provide the The arrangement is such that the' G) bottom corner forming tab with a hingedly connected tail portion which is adhesively secured in a preformed position of the blank to an adjacent panel portion of the box opposite that to which its associated side flap is connected.

Another feature of this invention resides in a folding box formed from a single rectangular blank of sheet material. Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings and descriptions in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the expanded blank of sheet material from which the folding box of this invention is formed, the visible surface of the blank forming the inside surface of the box when assembled.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary portion of a partially preformed box of the instant invention illustrated in the unfolded position thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view of the improved bottom corner forming tab of the instant invention.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a side elevation view of the partially preformed box illustrated in an intermediate folded position of the box.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a side end view of the box in the folded position thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical end view of the box.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a modified bottom corner tab portion of the instant invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown therein the improved folding box 10 of the present invention. As shown, the folding box 10 is formed from a single rectangular blank 11 of foldable material such as paperboard, cardboard, or the like. The blank 10 is provided with a pair of transversely extending fold lines F1 and F2 for partitioning the blank 10 into a pair of

opposed panels

12 and 13 interconnected by a bottom panel 14. Accordingly, it will be noted that each of the

opposed panels

12 and 13 are hingedly connected to the opposed edge portion of the bottom panel 14 along fold lines F1 and F2. For purposes of description, panel 12 will be considered as the .front panel of the box 10 and panel 13 will be considered as a back panel of the box 10.

Connected to the remote end portion of the respective front panel and

back panels

12 and 13 is a

top forming flap

15 and 16 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the width of the respective

top forming flaps

15, 16 are substantially equal. Consequently, in the folded position of the box the

top forming flaps

15 and 16 will overlie one another.

In the illustrated embodiment, top forming flap 16 will overlie the other top forming flap 15 as shown in FIGURE 6.

Blanked out of the underlying top flap 15 is a pair of winged locking tabs 17 which are adapted to engage with opposed slots 18 formed in the overlapping top panel 16 whereby the cooperating locking tabs 17 and slots 18 function to maintain the box closed in the erected position thereof.

In accordance with this invention, each of the respective

top forming flaps

16, 15, have hingedly connected to the opposed ends thereof an upper corner forming tab 19. Accordingly, each of the respective upper corner tabs 19 are hingedly connected about a fold line F3, F4, F5, and F6 respectively.

A continuous

side forming flap

20, 21 is hingedly connected to the blank 10 along fold lines F7, F8 respectively which are substantially coincident with the corresponding opposed side portions of the front panel 12, bottom panel 14, and connected back panel 13. The arrangefolded extend between the fold lines F9, F10 about which which the respective

continuous side flaps

20, 21 are folded extend between the fold line F9, F10 about which the respective

top flaps

15 and 16 are connected. Accordingly, the width of the respective

side forming flaps

20, 21 is substantially equal to the width of the upper corner forming tabs 19. Each of the continuous

side forming flaps

20, 21 is provided with a die-cut or slit 22, 23 which partitions the

respective flaps

20, 21 into a pair of side

wall forming flaps

20A, 20B, and 21A, 21B respectively. As thus seen in FIGURE 1 the

slits

22, 23 are illustrated as extending diagonally substantially across the width of the

continuous side flap

20, 21. Accordingly, the respective side

flap forming portion

20A, 20B, and 21A, 21B defined by the

respective slits

22, 23 of the continuous flap are hingedly connected about respective fold lines F8, F9 to the adjacent'marginal portion of the front panel 12 and back panel 13. The arrangement is such that in the erected position of the box, the corresponding side forming

flap portion

20A, 20B and 21A, 21B overlap one another to define a box with a side wall of double thickness and reinforced corner portions.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the respective lower portions of the

side forming flaps

20A, 21B, hingedly connected to the front panel, have connected thereto

bottom forming tab

24, 25. The adjacent sides of the respective

bottom tabs

24, 25 are connected to the adjacent side forming

panel portion

20A, 21A and bottom panel 14 about fold lines F11 and F12. Accordingly, the

diagonal slits

22, 23 of the respective side flaps 20, 21 are such that they define a

tab tail

26, 27 which are hingedly connected about respective fold lines F13 to the free end of the adjacent

bottom forming tab

24, 25. The

bottom forming tab

24, 25 are respectively provided with a

diagonal crease line

26, 27 about which the bottom tabs are reversely folded in the erected position of the box to define a reinforced corner portion as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In order to preform the respective corner portions of the box to enhance the erection thereof, a diagonal portion 28 of the opposed ends of the continuous.

side forming flaps

20, 21 are provided with a layer of suitable adhesive so that in the preformed position of the box, a diagonal corner portion 29 of the adjacent upper corner forming tab 19 may be suitably secured thereto. Accordingly, a diagonal crease line 30 formed in the respective corners of the

continuous flaps

20, 21 functions to collapse the top forming

flaps

15, 16 onto overlying relationship with the

adjacent panel portions

12, 13 of the box in the collapsed position of the box.

The bottom forming corner flaps or

tabs

24, 25 are preformed by providing the blank with an adhesive area 31, as indicated in FIGURE 1 thereof so that in the partially preformed position of the blank, coated

diagonal portion

24A, 25A of the

bottom forming tab

24, 25 respectively and the

tab tail

26, 27 may be adhesively secured to the bottom panel 14 and adjacent back panel 13 respectively as indicated in FIGURE 2. Thus, with the respective

bottom corner tabs

24, 25 and the respective upper corner portion tabs 19 preformed and secured, the top forming

flaps

15, 16 and the side forming

panel portions

20A, 20B; 21A, 21B of the preformed blank may be reversely folded onto the main blank as shown in FIG- URE 2 in the collapsed position of the box. Therefore, in order to effect erection of the box, one simply has to grasp the opposed end portions of the box as shown in FIGURE 4 and bring one box panel 12 into overlying relationship with the other box panel 13. In doing so, the corresponding

side forming flaps

20A, 20B, 21A, 21B tend to automatically overlap one another, as top forming flap 16 assumes overlying position relative to the other top forming flap 15 as indicated in FIGURE 6 to define the erection of the box. Thus, in accordance with this invention and because of the preformed corner portions of the box in the manner herein described, the erection of the

side forming flaps

20A, 20B and 21A, 21B and top forming

flaps

15, 16 is automatically effected as the

opposed panel portions

12, 13 of the box are brought into overlying position from its expanded position of FIGURE 2, to its erected position of FIGURE 6.

To secure the box in its erected position, the wing tabs 17 are merely required to have the end portions thereof mserted into the corresponding slots 18 formed in the top panel flap 16. Accordingly, the box is readily assembled and maintained in an assembled manner in a readily simple and expeditious manner.

To unfold the box, one merely has to disengage the locking tabs 17 from the respective holding slits 18 and move the respective

opposed portions

12, 13 of the box to its expanded or extended position.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a modified form of bottom tab construction 44. In this form of the invention, the bottom tab 44 is substantially similar to that hereinabove described with the exception that the slit 45 forming the continuous side forming flap 46 into two side forming

flap portions

46A, 46B is defined by a transversely extendin-g die-cut. The tail portion 47 of the tab 44 is then defined as a rectangular shape instead of the triangular form shown with reference to FIGURES 1 through 6. In all other respects the construction and operation of the folding box is similar to that hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the box of the instant invention utilizes a minimum amount of material for the reason that the blank from which the box is formed is substantially rectangular in form. Because such blanks can be more efiiciently layed out on a sheet of stock material, a minimum of waste is afforded thereby. Also, by preforming the corner portions of the respective box in a manner herein described, corresponding top forming panels and side forming panels are reversely folded to overlie the plane of the front, back, and bottom panels so that the blank in the expanded position thereof will occupy a minimum of space. Also, the preforrning of the corner of the box as herein described :greatly facilitates and enhances the erection of the box in addition to increasing the overall strength of the corner portions.

While the instant invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be readily appreciated and understood that variations and modifications of the same may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A box construction comprising:

(a) single blank of foldable sheet material having a plurality of transversely extending fold lines defining a front panel, a connected bottom panel, and a back panel,

(b) side flaps connected to the opposite sides of said front and back panels respectively,

(c) an underlying top panel connected to thefree end of said front panel, and (d) an overlying top panel connected to the free end of said back panel, (e) upper corner flaps connected to the opposed ends of each of said top panels, (f) a reinforcing bottom corner flap, (g) said bottom corner flap being disposed between the adjacent ends of the corresponding side flaps connected to said front and back panels,

(h) said bottom corner fiap being hingedly connected along one end thereof about a fold line to one of said side flaps,

(i) said fold line forming an extension of the fold line about which said front panel is hinged to said bottom anel,

(j) and said other end of said corner fiap being die-cut from the plane of the other corresponding side flap whereby said bottom corner flap is provided with an extended tail which in the folded position of said box extends over the surface of said back panel,

(k) and means for adhesively securing said bottom corner flap to said bottom wall and said back panel.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said corner bottom flap is provided with a diagonal crease line about which said corner flap is reversely folded in the folded position of said box.

3. In a box construction formed of a single blank of foldable sheet material having a front panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel connected into end-to-end relationship wherein said front panel and back panel are hingedly connected along spaced transversely extending fold lines coextensive with the opposed longitudinal edges of said bottom panel, the improvement of:

(a) a continuously extending side flap extending longitudinally along the respective opposed side portions of said connected front, bottom and back panels whereby the respective side flaps are adapted to be reversely folded along fold line onto said front, bottom, and back panel in an intermediate folded position of said box,

(h) each of said side flaps being slit to define the respective continuous flaps into a pair of side flap portions for said front and back panels in the folded position of said blank,

(c) one of said side flap portions having a connected bottom corner forming tab adjacent the bottom panel,

(d) said connected bottom corner forming-tab being hingedly connected along two edges thereto to said bottom panel and the adjacent side fiap portion respectively,

(e) and a corner tail flap connected to the free end of said corner forming tab whereby said tail flap in an intermediate folded portion of said box overlies the panel of said box remote from the panel to which said one side flap portion is connected.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said corner tail is substantially rectangular in shape with one side hingedly connected along a fold line substantially coextensive to the free end of said bottom corner forming tab.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said bottom corner tab is provided with a diagonal crease line about which said tab is reversely folded in the folded portion of said box.

6.-The invention as defined in claim 3 and including means for adhesively bonding a portion of said tab in overlapping relation to the bottom panel.

7. In abox construction formed of a single blank of foldable sheet material having a front panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel connected into end-to-end relationship wherein said front panel and back panel are hingedly connected along spaced transversely extending fold lines coextensive with the opposed longitudinal edges of said bottom panel, the improvement of:

(a) a continuously extending side forming flap extending longitudinally along the respective opposed side portions of said connected front, bottom and back panels whereby the respective side flaps are adapted to be reversely folded along fold line onto said front, bottom, and back panel in an intermediate folded position of said box,

(b) each of said side flaps being slit to divide the respective continuous flaps into a pair of side flap portions connecting said front and back panels respectively in the folded position of said blank,

(c) one of said side flapportions having a connected bottom corner forming tab adjacent the bottom panel,

(d) said connected bottom corner forming tab being hingedly connected along two adjacent edges to said bottom panel and the adjacent side fiap portion,

(c) said corner forming portion having a diagonally extending crease line formed therein whereby said corner forming portion is reversely folded along said crease line in the folded position of said box,

(f) and a corner tail flap connected to the free end of said corner forming tab whereby said tail flap in an intermediate folded portion of said box overlies the panel of said box remote from the panel to which said one side flap portion is connected.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 and including means for adhesively bonding a diagonal portion of said corner tab and adjacent tail to said bottom panel and adjacent remote panel respectively.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said corner tail flap is substantially triangular in shape with the base of said tail flap hingedly connected along a fold line to the free end of said corner forming flap.

10, In a box construction formed of a single blank of foldable sheet material having a front panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel connected in end-to-end relationship wherein said front panel and back panel are hingedly connected along spaced foldlines coextensive with the opposed longitudinal edges of said bottom panel, the improvement of:

(a) side flap connected to each opposed side portion of said front and back panel,

(h) each of said side flaps being hingedly connected to its respective front and back panel along a longitudinally extending foldline extending substantially normal to said transversely extending foldlines,

(c) the corresponding side flaps of said front and back panel defining a continuous side flap extending the length of said blank,

(d) each of said continuously defined side flaps having a slit formed intermediate the length thereof to define a pair of corresponding side forming flap portions,

(c) said slit being disposed to one side of the bottom panel so that in the reversely folded position of said side forming flap portion, a part of one of said side portions extending over each of said front and back panels in the folded position of the blank.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein the extended portion of said one side portion defines a bottom corner forming tab.

12. A box construction comprising:

(a) a blank of foldable sheet material,

(b) said blank having a plurality of transversely extending foldlines to define a pair of opposed panels and a bottom panel connected therebetween,

(c) top flap hingedly connected along a foldline to the respective remote ends of each of said opposed panels,

(d) upper corner flaps hingedly connected to the opposed ends of each of said top flaps,

(e) a continuously extending side flap extending along each side of said blank between said upper corner flaps, said continuous side flaps being hingedly folded along a longitudinally extending foldline,

(f) each of said continuously forming side fiaps having a slit intermediate the length thereof to define a pair of corresponding side forming fiap portions in the folded position of the back,

(g) one of said corresponding side flap portions including a bottom corner tab portion hingedly connected thereto,

(h) said corner tab having one side thereof hingedly connected along a foldline coincident with the adjacent edge of said bottom wall,

(i) and a corner tab tail hingedly connected along a foldline parallel to the fold line about which said corner tab is hingedly connected to its adjacent side forming flap portion,

(j) said corner tab having a diagonally extending crease line therein about which said corner tab is reversely folded in the assembled position of said box,

(k) and means for adhesively securing said tab tail and adjacent diagonal portion of said corner tab to said adjacent opposed panel and bottom panel in a reversely folded position thereof.

13. A box construction comprising:

(a) a rectangular blank of foldable sheet material,

(b) said blank having a plurality of transversely extending foldlines to define a front panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel,

(c) said bottom panel being connected between the adjacent ends of said front and back panels along transversely extending foldline,

(d) an underlying top flap hingedly connected along a foldline to the remote end of said front panel,

(e) and overlying top flap hingedly connected along a foldline to the remote end of said back panel, (f) upper corner flaps hingedly connected to the opposed ends of each of said overlying and underlying top flaps,

(g) a continuously extending side flap extending along each side of said front, bottom and back panels between said upper corner flaps, said continuous side forming flaps being hingedly folded along a longitudinally extending fold line,

(h) each of said continuously side forming flaps having a slit intermediate the length thereof to form a pair of corresponding side flap portions to form overlapping sides in the folded position of the back,

(i) one of said corresponding side flap portions including a bottom corner tab portion hingedly connected thereto,

(j) said corner tab having an adjacent side thereof hingedly connected along a foldline coincident with the adjacent edge of said bottom wall,

(k) and a corner tab tail hingedly connected along a foldline parallel to the foldline about which said corner tab is hingedly connected to its adjacent side forming flap portion,

(1) said corner tab having a diagonally extending crease line therein about which said corner tab is reversely folded in the assembled position of said box,

(m) and means for adhesively securing said tab tail and adjacent diagonal portion of said corner tab to said back panel and bottom panel respectively in an intermediate folded position of said box.

14. The invention as defined in claim 13 and including means for adhesively securing the upper corner tab to the adjacent ends of said side forming flap portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,877,601 9/1932 Shapiro 2293l X 2,168,387 8/1939 Bellin 229-33 2,531,507 11/1950 Goodyear 22-33 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. R. PESCHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A BOX CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: (A) SINGLE BLANK OF FOLDABLE SHEET MATERIAL HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING FOLD LINES DEFINING A FRONT PANEL, A CONNECTED BOTTOM PANEL, AND A BACK PANEL, (B) SIDE FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS RESPECTIVELY, (C) AN UNDERLYING TOP PANEL CONNECTED TO THE FREE END OF SAID FRONT PANEL, AND (D) AN OVERLYING TOP PANEL CONNECTED TO THE FREE END OF SAID BACK PANEL, (E) UPPER CORNER FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSED ENDS OF EACH OF SAID TOP PANELS, (F) A REINFORCING BOTTOM CORNER FLAP, (G) SAID BOTTOM CORNER FLAP BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE CORRESPONDING SIDE FLAPS CONNECTED TO SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS, (H) SAID BOTTOM CORNER FLAP BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG ONE END THEREOF ABOUT A FOLD LINE TO ONE OF SAID SIDE FLAPS, (I) SAID FOLD LINE FORMING AN EXTENSION OF THE FOLD LINE ABOUT WHICH SAID FRONT PANEL IS HINGED TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL, (J) AND SAID OTHER END OF SAID CORNER FLAP BEING DIE-CUT FROM THE PLANE OF THE OTHER CORRESPONDING SIDE FLAP WHEREBY SAID BOTTOM CORNER FLAP IS PROVIDED WITH AN EXTENDED TAIL WHICH IN THE FOLDED POSITION OF SAID BOX EXTENDS OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID BACK PANEL, (K) AND MEANS FOR ADHESIVELY SECURING SAID BOTTOM CORNER FLAP TO SAID BOTTOM WALL AND SAID BACK PANEL.