US3337112A

US3337112A - Box construction

Info

Publication number: US3337112A
Application number: US411271A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin L Thurston
Original assignee: Frost Box Co Inc
Current assignee: Frost Box Co Inc
Priority date: 1964-11-16
Filing date: 1964-11-16
Publication date: 1967-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, 1967 B. L. THURSTON BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 16, 1964 I l/ l [7220622 ion fielzjamz'ie L. Thurston, @5 p M W 77/ Am 5.

United States Patent 3,337,112 BOX CONSTRUCTION Benjamin L. Thurston, Lincoln, R.I., assignor to Frost Box Co., Inc, Pawtucket, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,271 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) The present invention relates to a box construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to a 'box construction having hinged box sections formed of a cardboard material or the like and in which reinforcing members are provided.

The box construction of the present invention is designed for the packaging and display of small articles such as costume jewelry and the like, and thus is necessarily formed of inexpensive materials such as cardboard. Be cause cardboard boxes are not structurally stable, pro lems have been experienced heretofore in the manufacture of such boxes so as to provide suflicient rigidity to withstand normal handling. Prior to the instant invention, some efforts have been made to fabricate cardboard boxes with reinforcing means, but these prior constructions have not found favor in the trade since they were difficult to assemble and accordingly increased the cost of the box.

The present invention is designed to avoid the attendant Hce Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, the box construction embodied herein is generally indicated at 10 and includes a bottom section generally indicated at 12 and a top section generally indicated at 14. The box construction 10 has particular application as a package and display box for small articles such as jewelry or the like. However, it is understood that the box construction 10 may be utilized for various other purposes as required. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, the box construction will normally include an outer decorative layer of cloth or paper material and may be applied in any well known manner.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the bottom section 12 is hingedly connected to the top section 14 by hinge assem 'blies 16, the hinge assemblies 16 being conventional in construction and being attached to the rear wall of each section in any well known manner. It is further understood that corner hinges such as illustrated in Patent No. 3,100,073 may be employed with the box construction of the present invention.

Reference will now be made to the construction and assembly of the bottom section 12, it being understood that the top section 14 is identically formed. As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the bottom section 12 includes an outer shell generally indicated at 18 that is defined by a bottom wall 20, a front wall 22, side walls 24 and 26,

difficulties experienced in the fabrication of cardboard boxes known heretofore and provides a box construction that is essentially formed of cardboard materials, but that includes a unique reinforcing structure that provides for a rigid and stable assembly. Basically, the present invention includes hinged box sections that are formed of conventional materials. In each of the box sections an insert tray is positioned, the insert tray having an upstanding lip joined thereto. The lip of each insert tray is located in engagement with a rear wall of a box section and each tray is dimensioned so as to define less than the full area of the bottom wall of the section in which it is located. Recesses are thus defined along the sides and front of the box sections and reinforcing strips are positioned in these recesses and cooperate with the insert trays to produce a stable and rigid box assembly.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive box construction that is essentially formed of cardboard materials or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box construction that includes hingedly connected top and bottom sections, both of which are reinforced with insert trays to produce a rigid and stable box assembly.

Still another object is to provide a box section for a box construction that includes an outer shell in which an insert tray is located, the insert tray being foreshortened longitudinally and laterally with respect to the outer shell so as to provide recesses in which reinforcing strips are located.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the box construction embodied in the present invention showing the open position of the box sections and the hinged connection thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of one of the box sections illustrating the components that define the box section;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken along lines 44 in FIG. 3.

and a rear wall 28. The front wall 22, side walls 24 and 26, and the rear wall 2'8 are all joined to the bottom wall 20 and to each other in any conventional manner. As further illustrated in FIG. 2 the vertical dimension of the rear wall 28 is foreshortened with respect to the side Walls 24 and 26 so as to provide for opening of the top and bottom sections 12 and 14 without the binding thereof when the sections are located in hinged relation, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Located within the outer shell 18 is an insert or tray generally indicated at 30 that includes a flat bottom plate 32 to which an upstanding rear lip 34 is attached. When the tray 30 is disposed in the assembled position thereof within the outer shell 18, it is located such that the marginal side edges thereof are spaced from the side walls 24 and 26, and the front marginal edge thereof is spaced from the front wall 22 of the outer shell. The li 34 in the assembled position of the tray 30 is located in flush engagement with the rear wall 28. The vertical dimension of the lip 34 is substantially the same as that of the rear wall 28 so that the uppermost edges of the lip 34 and the rear wall 28 of the shell 18 are substantially coextensive.

Since the tray 30 occupies less than the full area defined by the bottom wall 20 of the outer shell 18, side recesses 36 and 38 are defined by the lateral edges of the bottom plate 32 and the adjacent inner surfaces of the sidewalls 24 and 26 of the outer shell 18. A similar recess 40 is defined by the longitudinal marginal front edge of the plate 32 of the tray 30 and the opposing surface of the front wall 22 of the shell 18. The recesses 36 and 38 are shown more clearly in FIG. 3 while the recess 40 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

In order to further reinforce the outer shell 18, a plurality of reinforcing strips are provided and as illustrated in FIG. 2 are defined by a front longitudinal strip 42 and side lateral strips 44 and 46. The reinforcing strips 42, 44 and 46 are preferably formed of wood although other materials may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention. As illustrated in FIGS, 3 and 4, the recesses 36, 38 and 40 are dimensioned to accommodate the reinforcing strips 42, 44 and 46 respectively in snug fitting relation. Thus the recess 36 receives the reinforcing strip 44 therein while the recess 38 receives the reinforcing strip 46 therein. The longitudinally ex tending recess 40 receives the longitudinal strip 42 therein and as shown in FIG. 1, the reinforcing strips are so interrelated with the tray 30 as to define a relatively rigid construction therewith and the outer shell 18 in which they are located. More particularly, the longitudinally extending reinforcing strip 42 extends the full length of the outer shell 18 and abuts the inner surfaces of the side Walls 24 and 26. The laterally extending strips 44 and 46 engage the longitudinal strip 42 at one end thereof and engage the inner surface of the rear wall 28 at the other end thereof. The lateral strips 44 and 46 are thus captured between the longitudinal strip 42 and the rear wall 28 and since they are located in their respective recesses 44 and 46 they are retained in relatively tight fitting relation. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper edges of the reinforcing strips 42, 44 and 46 are substantially coextensive with the upper edges of the front wall 42 and side walls 44 and 46, respectively, a uniform assembly thereby being produced.

As previously described, the hinge assemblies 16 are interconnected to the rear walls 28 of both the top and bottom sections 12 and 14 and thereby hingedly join the top and bottom sections in the well known manner. The lip 34 of the tray 30 is adapted to abut the hinge assemblies 16 and thus act to essentially conceal the hinge assemblies, except for the hinge knuckles and pins thereof.

In the assembly of the box construction 10, the bottom and top sections 12 and 14 are adapted to be assembled independently, with the outer shell 18 of each section being first formed and the reinforcing tray 30 and strips 42, 44 and 46 then being inserted within the outer shell. Prior to the assembly of the reinforcing strips and tray within each of the sections, the sections may be first hingedly connected together in the :manner as illustrated in FIG. 1. After the reinforcing strips and tray 30 are assembled in each of these sections, an outer decorative layer of any suitable material, such as ornamental cloth or paper, may be glued or otherwise applied to the surface of the top and bottom sections. It is also understood that after the assembly of the top and bottom sections and the insert trays and strips therein, interior puffs may be placed therein for completing the ornamental appearance thereof.

As previously described, the vertical dimension of the reinforcing strips 42, 44 and 46 are essentially the same as that of the front wall 22 and side walls 24, .26 of the outer shell 18, and therefore the top edges of the reinforcing strips and these walls are substantially coextensive. The box section thus has the general appearance of the conventional box assembly, and with the decorative layer applied thereto appears to be of any general construction. However, by applying the reinforcing tray 30 and the reinforcing strips 42, 44 and 46 within the outer shell 18 of each of the box sections, a relatively rigid and stable construction is produced that effectively resists normal wear and handling.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept, and that the same is not limited to the particular forms shown and described, except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a box construction, a top section, a bottom section hingedly connected to said top section, said top and bottom sections each including an outer shell defined by a bottom wall, and a front wall, rear wall and side walls joined to said bottom wall to define an open top enclosure therewith, a reinforcing insert tray located within each of said shells, each of said trays including a flat wall that is located in surface to surface relation with the bottom wall of the shell in which the tray is positioned and a lip joined to said flat wall along a longitudinally extending peripheral edge thereof and being located in engagement with the rear wall of the section in which the tray is located, each of said trays being foreshortened with respect to the front and side walls of the section in which it is located to form side and front recesses, and reinforcing strips located in said recesses and cooperating with said tray to produce a rigid and stable assembly.

2. In a box construction, a top section, a bottom section hingedly connected to said top section, at least one of said sections including an outer shell defined by a bottom wall, and a front wall, a rear wall and side walls joined to said bottom wall, a reinforcing tray located within said outer shell and including a fiat wall that is located on the bottom wall of said shell and a lip joined to said fiat wall and that engages the rear wall of said shell, said tray occupying less than the full area of said bottom wall to form a front recess with said front wall and side recesses with said side walls, and reinforcing strips located in said recesses in flush engagement with the side and front walls of said outer shell and cooperating with said tray to produce a rigid and stable assembly.

3. In a box construction, a first section, a second section hingedly connected to said first section, at least one of said sections including an outer shell in which a tray is located, said tray including a bottom wall and a lip joined to said bottom wall and engaging a wall of said outer shell, said tray occupying less than the full area of the bottom of said shell to define a plurality of recesses with the other walls of said outer shell, and a reinforcing strip located in each of said recesses and cooperating with said tray to reinforce said outer shell.

4. In a box construction, a first section, a second section hingedly connected to said first section, at least one of said sections including an outer shell, a reinforcing insert located in said outer shell, and a plurality of reinforcing strips located in said outer shell and cooperating with said insert to reinforce said outer shell, said outer shell including a bottom wall and a front wall, a rear wall and side walls joined to said bottom wall, the vertical dimension of said reinforcing strips being substantially equal to the vertical dimension of said front and side walls, said insert including a flat wall to which a lip is joined along a longitudinal edge thereof.

5. In a box construction as set forth in claim 4, said lip engaging a Wall of said outer shell and said insert occupying less than the full lateral and longitudinal dimension of said outer shell to define recesses therewith, and a reinforcing strip located in each of said recesses.

6. In a box construction as set forth in claim 4, said lip and the wall it engages being foreshortened vertically with respect to the adjacent walls of said shell and the adjacent reinforcing strips so that said section in which the insert and strips are located may have free hinging movement with respect to the section to which it is hingedly connected.

7. In a box construction, a first section, a second section hingedly connected to said first section, at least one of said sections including an outer shell, a reinforcing insert located in said outer shell and including a flat wall to which a lip is joined along an edge thereof and engaging a wall of the shell in which the insert is located, and a plurality of reinforcing strips positioned in said outer shell and engaging the other walls thereof and cooperating with said insert to reinforce said outer shell.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,268,163 6/1918 Schneider 220-65 X 1,851,746 3/1932 Wetherell 206-75 2,380,052 7/1945 Koller 20675 X 2,867,371 1/1959 Nyden 229-44 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner.