US3921894A - Lock bottom compartmented box - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock bottom compartmented box made from a single cardboard blank has a series of transverse dividing walls extending the full height of the box, thereby dividing it into a plurality of rectangular compartments extending along the longitudinal axis of the box. The bottom closure is especially strong because portions of the dividing walls are integral with the bottom closure flaps and interlock to provide a continuous stretch of box material across the bottom and up the sides of the box.

Description

United States Patent Hackenberg Nov. 25, 1975 1 LOCK BOTTOM COMPARTMENTED BOX 3,158.286 11/1964 P111111 228/115 5 2 5 [75] Inventor: Robert A. Hackenberg, East Lyme, 133606 9/1974 Hdckenberg 2 Conn. Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance i 1 Asslgneel Robertson Paper BOX -1 Assistant Examiner-Douglas B. Farrow Montville, Conn.

[22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl. No.: 519,847 A look bottom compartmented box made from a single cardboard blank has a series of transverse dividing [52] U S CI 229/27. 229/15 229/41 B. walls extending the full height of the box, thereby di- 229/39 229/35 viding it into a plurality of rectangular compartments [51] Int Cl 2 B65D 5 extending along the longitudinal axis of the box. The [58] Fie'ld B 39 R bottom closure is especially strong because portions of 229/35" 45 29 45 3 21 1/60 R the dividing walls are integral with the bottom closure flaps and interlock to provide a continuous stretch of [56] References Cited box material across the bottom and up the sides of the box. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1145,902 8/1964 Nolen 229/27 7 Claims 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet10f3 3,921,894

O o 2 m F\: W M 2 B E a. .h C 6 2 Lock BOTTOM COMPARTMENTED BOX BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION shown in U.S.-Pat. Nos. 2,785,844 and 2,880.921.

Most of these prior containers have a central wall extending longitudinally through the box dividing it in half with separate compartments being situated on each side of the dividing wall. While these prior boxes and cartons perform their function satisfactorily, it would be desirable to have a box of this general type with no central wall and a much stronger bottom wall so that the box can hold relatively heavy articles without them pushing out through the bottom of the box during handling. Also, it would be very advantageous if a box such as this could be made with less material without sacrificing its basic strength.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lock bottom compartmented box which is very strong and sturdy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box of this general type which can be set up very quickly with a minimum of effort.

Still another object is to provide a compartmented, lock bottom box which is made from a single blank with a minimum amount ofmaterial in the blank.

Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the subject box is made from a single blank of material consisting of front and rear panels and a pair of side panels connected together along appropriate fold lines with the endmost panels being secured together by a glue flap to form a tube.

Flaps are. hinged to the bottom edges of each of the front, rear and side panels which form the bottom of the box. These same flaps also constitute transverse dividing walls which separate the inside of the box into a ,plurality of compartments extending in a single row along the longitudinal axis of the box. These walls may extend the full or partial height of the box.

The flaps connected to the front and rear wall panels being similar and similarly arranged have a zig-zag configuratiori with each flap having a transverse hinge positioned at the corner where the free end of the flap first changes direction. The flaps connected to each of the side wall panels are both rectangular and each of these flaps has transverse a hinge aligned with the hinges in the first pair of flaps. a To form the "box, the bottom closure flaps are all folded alongtheir hinge lineslto their respective wall panels so that they lie flush against these panels. Then the free ends of the zig-zag flaps are connected to the fre e ends of the adjacent rectangular flaps and the endmost wall panels are connected by a glue flap. When the wall panels are formed into a tube as the box is set up, the bottom closure flaps all fold along their respective hinge lines to form both the bottom closure for the box and a pair of transverse, upstanding dividing walls within the box.

When the box is fully set up, each zig-zag flap extends all the way across the bottom of the box and up one sidewall. Furthermore, the zig-zag flaps interlock and any'weight in the box bearing down on these flaps urges them into even more intimate locking contact, with the result that even relatively heavy objects in the box do not push out through-the bottom of the box.

The top of the box can be closed off using any conventional type of closure including the flip-top variety, if desired.

Thus, the subject box is of simple construction being made from a single blank of material. Furthermore. it can be shipped and stored in a flattened condition so that it occupies a minimum amount of space. When needed, the box is easily set up simply by urging together the opposite edges of the flattened panels whereupon the bottom closure flaps and transverse dividing walls automatically fold out and lock into place. With all of these advantages, the box should prove to be a very useful merchandising tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had'to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above, with parts cutaway showing a compartmented box made in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the box partially set up;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the blank from which the FIGS. 1 and 2 box is made;

FIGS. 4 to 6 are similar views illustrating the mode of folding the blank to form the box;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. I showing a modified form of the subject box; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the blank used to make the FIG. 7 box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the box is comprised of a front wall panel 10, a rear wall panel .12 and left and right side wall panels 14 and 16 connected togethe r along fold lines or hinges 18. A glue flap 22 hinged at 24 to the side of panel 14 is adhered to the free side edge of panel 10 so that the panels can be formed into a tube. Conventional cover flaps 26a, 26b, and 26c are connected along hinge lines 28 to the top edges of the rear wall and side wall panels to close off the top of the box.

Still referring to FIG. 1, inside the box are a pair of transverse dividing walls shown generally at 32 and 34 distributed along the length of the box. These walls may 7 extend the full height of the box or only partway up depending on the application. In any event, they divide the box into three compartments aligned in a single row along the longitudinal axis of the box. The box bottom closure indicated generally at 36 is connected to the dividing walls 32 and 34 and has double thickness for added strength.

As best seen in FIGS. I and 3, the bottom closure 36 and dividing walls 32 and 34 comprise a pair of identical zig-zag- shaped flaps 42 and 44 hinged to the edges of panels and 12 along hinge lines 46 and 48, respectively. Flap 42 is divided into two parts 42a and 42b by a hinge line 52 located at the inner end of the outermost leg of that flap. Hinge line 52 extends parallel to hinge line 46. A second hinge line 54 extends from the end of hinge line 52 at the inside corner of flap 42 perpendicular to line 52, thereby dividing flap section 42b into two parts 42c and 42d, the last of which functions as a glue flap.

Identical hinge lines 56 and 58 are located on flap 44, thereby dividing that flap into a section 44a hinged to panel 12, a section 44d which functions as a glue flap and a bridging section 440.

A second pair of identical long rectangular flaps 62 and 64 are connected to the edges of side wall panels 14 and 16 along hinge lines 66 and 68, respectively. These flaps are divided into two parts 62a, 62b and 64a, 64b by hinge lines 72 and 74 respectively aligned with hinge lines 52 and 56.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 to 6, to form the FIG. 1 box from the FIG. 3 blank, the bottom closure flaps 42 and 44 are folded back against panels 10 and 12 and flaps 62 and 64 are folded flush against end panels 14 and 16, all as shown in FIG. 4. Glue is then applied to the exposed faces of the glue flaps 42d and 44d and to the free side edge margin of panel 10 also as shown in that figure. Next, panel 14 is folded over to the left, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the glue flap 44d adheres to the exposed face of flap section 62b. Finally, panel 10 is folded over to the right so that glue flap 42d adheres to flap section 64b and glue flap 22 adheres to the free side edge margin of panel 10.

The box is set up by pushing together the two side edges of the flattened box shown in FIG. 6. This opens up the wall panels forming a tube as shown in FIG. 2. As the wall panels open up, the bottom closure flaps fold out away from the sides of the panels and downwards as shown in FIG. 2 to form the transverse dividing walls 32 and 34 and box bottom closure 36 seen in FIG. 1.

More particularly, the flap sections 42a and 44a fold downwards, with flap sections 64aand 62a folding down on top of them. Also the flap sections 42a and 44a interlock as shown in FIG. 2. When the wall panels are fully open, the flap sections 42a and 44a engage one another at point 73 in FIG. 1. This point corresponds to the inner corners at the inner ends of the outermost legs of flaps 42 and 44. Flaps 42 and 44 are shaped so that these corners engage at a point 73 before flap sections 42a, 44a, 62a and 64a comprising bottom closure 36 can lie in a horizontal plane. Therefore, any downward force on.the bottom closure 36 causes these two flaps 42 and 44 to more firmly engage and interlock. Resultantly, the bottom closure is well able to support even heavy objects in the box. Even further strength is added to the bottom closure because the overlapping flap sections 42a, 44a, 64a and 62a provide a double thickness of cardboard across most of the bottom of the box, and also because all glued seams extend parallel to the direction of any force against the bottom closure so that the seams do not pull apart.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a longer box having four instead of three compartments. In other words, it has a third dividing wall shown generally at 80 in FIG. 7. The FIG. 8 blank is substantially identical to the FIG. 3 blank except that the FIG. 3 flap sections 42c and 446 are modified. Those flap sections are replaced by generally square sections 42eand 442. Hinged to the free side edge of flap section 42e is an additional section 42f. The hinge line 82 between them extends parallel to hinge line 54. An identical flap section 44f is hinged along hinge line 84 to the free side edge of flap section 44e.

Preferably, also, small tabs 86 and 88 are formed at the side edges of flap sections 42a and 44a below sections 42fand 44fto help lock the flaps together to form the bottom closure.

When forming the box during the folding and gluing operation described above, glue is applied to one-half of the exposed face of flap section 42fas seen at 92 in FIG. 8. When the panel 10 is folded over as shown in FIG. 5, flap section 42foverlaps about one-half of flap section 44f and the overlapping portions adhere.

When the box is set up with the panels folding down as described above, flap sections 42f and 44f together form the central transverse dividing wall in the box. Also, the flap sections 42e and 44e extend up flush against the front and rear wall panels 12 and 10 lending added strength there. Further. the tabs 86 and 88 overlie flap sections 44a and 42a, respectively, to add reinforcement to the bottom closure in view of the longer length of the box.

This four-compartment box provides the same benefits as the three-compartment one in terms of bottom closure strength, ease of setup and utilization ofa minimum amount of material.

Although in the embodiments specifically illustrated herein the box compartments are shown as being square and approximately equal in size, this need not be the case. The center compartment in the FIG. 1 box can be made larger or smaller by appropriately increasing or decreasing the length of front and rear panels 10 and 12. The same is true with the two middle compartments of the FIG. 7 box. In fact, these two middle compartments can be sized differently from the end compartments and from each other. The only constraint in this respect is that the two end compartments of each box embodiment must be of the same size and square in order for the box to fold and lock properly.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is further to be understood that all of the claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described.

I claim:

1. A compartmented box comprising a first pair of identical wall panels, a second pair of identical wall panels hinged alternately to those in the first pair to form a tube, a first pair of substantially identical zig-zag shaped flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the first pair, a second pair of identical generally rectangular flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the second pair, and means for connecting the free end of each zig-zag-shaped flap to the free end of the adjacent rectangular flap so that when the wall panels are opened up to form a tube, the flaps fold downwards and outwards away from the wall panels with the zig-zag-shaped flaps underlying the rectangular flaps and interlocking with one another to form a sturdy bottom closure for the box and with the connected-together portions of the flap pairs forming transverse dividing walls within the box, and wherein each flap in the first pair has a laterally extending flap section hinged to its free end and means for connecting together overlapping portions of said laterally extending flap sections so that two together form an additional transverse dividing wall within the box.

2. The box defined in claim I and further including means connected to the panels for closing the opposite end of the box. 7 v

3. The box defined in claim 1 and further including a pair of laterally extending tabs on the first pair of flaps, said tabs being situated directly below said laterally extending flap sections 4. A compartmented box comprising a first pair of identical wall panels, a second pair of identical wall panels hinged alternately to those in the first pair to form a tube, a first pair of substantially identical zigzag-shaped flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the first pair, a second pair of identical generally rectangular flaps hinged to the cor responding free edges of the panels in the second pair, fold lines extending across said zig-zag-shaped and rectangular flaps, said fold lines being parallel to their hinges to the first and second pairs of wall panels and spaced therefrom a distance approximately equal to the width of the second pair of wall panels, means for connecting the free end portion of each zig-zag-shaped flap to the free end portion of the adjacent rectangular flap so that when the wall panels are opened up to form a tube, the flap portions between said fold lines and hinges fold downwards and outwards away from the wall panels with the zig-zag-shaped flap portions underlying the rectangular flap portions and interlocking with one another to form a sturdy bottom closure for the box, while the flap portions beyond said fold lines project up parallel to the wall panels so that the rectangular flap portions beyond said fold lines form a pair of parallel upstanding walls which divide the box into at least three aligned compartments.

5. The box defined in claim 4 wherein said zig-zagshaped flap portions beyond said fold lines extend upwards along and lie flush against one of the wall panels in the first wall panel pair so as to strengthen the box bottom closure.

6. A box defined in claim 4 wherein the zig-zag- Y shaped flaps are dimensioned so that they engage one another substantially at the center of the bottom closure just before the wall panels are fully openedso that the flap portions comprising the bottom closure are pressed more tightly together by the box contents.

7. A box blank comprising an aligned series of four hinged-together wall panels, substantially identical zigzag-shaped flaps hinged to corresponding free edges of maining wall panels.

Claims (7)

1. A compartmented box comprising a first pair of identical wall panels, a second pair of identical wall panels hinged alternately to those in the first pair to form a tube, a first pair of substantially identical zig-zag shaped flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the first pair, a second pair of identical generally rectangular flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the second pair, and means for connecting the free end of each zig-zag-shaped flap to the free end of the adjacent rectangular flap so that when the wall panels are opened up to form a tube, the flaps fold downwards and outwards away from the wall panels with the zigzag-shaped flaps underlying the rectangular flaps and interlocking with one another to form a sturdy bottom closure for the box and with the connected-together portions of the flap pairs forming transverse dividing walls within the box, and wherein each flap in the first pair has a laterally extending flap section hinged to its free end and means for connecting together overlapping portions of said laterally extending flap sections so that two together form an additional transverse dividing wall within the box.

2. The box defined in claim 1 and further including means connected to the panels for closing the opposite end of the box.

3. The box defined in claim 1 and further including a pair of laterally extending tabs on the first pair of flaps, said tabs being situated directly below said laterally extending flap sections.

4. A compartmented box comprising a first pair of identical wall panels, a second pair of identical wall panels hinged alternately to those in the first pair to form a tube, a first pair of substantially identical zig-zag-shaped flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the first pair, a second pair of identical generally rectangular flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the panels in the second pair, fold lines extending across said zig-zag-shaped and rectangular flaps, said fold lines being parallel to their hinges to the first and second pairs of wall panels and spaced therefrom a distance approximately equal to the width of the second pair of wall panels, means for connecting the free end portion of each zig-zag-shaped flap to the free end portion of the adjacent rectangular flap so that when the wall panels are opened up to form a tube, the flap portions between said fold lines and hinges fold downwards and outwards away from the wall panels with the zig-zag-shaped flap portions underlying the rectangular flap portions and interlocking with one another to form a sturdy bottom closure for the box, while the flap portions beyond said fold lines project up parallel to the wall panels so that the rectangular flap portions beyond said fold lines form a pair of parallel upstanding walls which divide the box into at least three aligned compartments.

5. The box defined in claim 4 wherein said zig-zag-shaped flap portions beyond said fold lines extend upwards along and lie flush against one of the wall panels in the first wall panel pair so as to strengthen the box bottom closure.

6. A box defined in claim 4 wherein the zig-zag-shaped flaps are dimensioned so that they engage one another substantially at the center of the bottom closure just before the wall panels are fully opened so that the flap portions comprising the bottom closure are pressed more tightly together by the box contents.

7. A box blank comprising an aligned series of four hinged-together wall panels, substantially identical zig-zag-shaped flaps hinged to corresponding free edges of alternate ones of said wall panels, a pair of substantially identical rectangular flaps hinged to the corresponding free edges of the remaining wall panels adjacent said zig-zag-shaped flaps, hinge lines extending across said flaps, said hinge lines being located substantially in a straight line which is parallel to the hinges between said flaps and said wall panels and spaced from said hinges a distance approximately equal to the width of said remaining wall panels.

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