WO1988003505A1

WO1988003505A1 - Foldable box

Info

Publication number: WO1988003505A1
Application number: PCT/DE1987/000495
Authority: WO
Inventors: Achim Wendt
Original assignee: Achim Wendt
Priority date: 1986-11-05
Filing date: 1987-11-04
Publication date: 1988-05-19
Also published as: JPH01501701A; EP0288516A1; DE8629600U1

Abstract

A foldable box of stiff cardboard material has a blank formed in a single piece composed of a main rectangular part (20) and an insertion tab (22) arranged at a first narrow side of the main part. The insertion tab is a few millimeters wide, is shorter than the narrow side, linked to the adjacent narrow side by an insertion tab fold (24) and has hooking means (28), in particular a hole. The main part has on its second narrow side a foldable edge (32), essentially as wide as the insertion tab, preferably slightly larger, which is limited by a fold (34) having a slit (36) that matches the width of the insertion tab. Between the insertion tab fold and the foldable edge, is folded in the opposite direction a bottom middle fold (46). Two symmetrical and spaced side folds (48, 50) are folded opposite to the bottom middle fold, forming between the two side folds two rectangular bottom walls (42, 44) and outside both side folds two rectangular side walls (38, 40).

Description

Description: folding box

The invention relates to a folding box made of rigid cardboard material in the form of a one-piece blank.

Particularly for packaging purposes, a large number of folding boxes of the type mentioned at the outset, that is to say made of rigid cardboard material, in particular cardboard, are known to have manageable dimensions and are intended for receiving smaller items, for example perfumeries, sweets, smaller gift items, etc. These folding boxes are made from a one-piece blank and can be opened from a flat, two-dimensional delivery form into a three-dimensional state in which they are cuboid, prismatic with a triangular base, roof-shaped or the like. The previously known folding boxes are partially closed off by end walls, so that they form pockets accessible only from above, into which the objects to be picked up are placed or removed from the unfolded box. Teil¬, the cartons are also ^* has borrowed so at its two end sides open. This can be used so that an object, for example a perfume bottle or a box of chocolates, can be inserted laterally through the open end face, the folding box is then dimensioned such that it holds the body in a frictional manner. Your task is particularly in a particularly decorative packaging.

It is typical of the previously known folding boxes that they are only designed and intended for the actual packaging purpose. They can still be used as packaging for the same purpose or for other objects if the object housed in them, for example a gift, has been removed, but the purpose of use always remains the same. Folding boxes for gifts, for example for perfumery or confectionery, are particularly elegant and appealing. However, their decorative effect only comes into play for normal users in the form of the unfolded box. This is where the invention begins. It has set itself the task of further developing the previously known folding boxes of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that their intended use is expanded beyond the actual packaging function, that is to say the inclusion of an object. In this way, the folding box should not only be fed as a receptacle, but also be used for a second purpose, completely removed from the receptacle function, which uses the usually complex and appealing pictorial or decorative design of the folding box walls and possibly decisively determines the design of these walls.

This object is achieved on the basis of the previously known folding boxes by a folding box made of rigid cardboard material, in particular cardboard, in the form of a one-piece cut which is composed of a rectangular main part and a plug-in tab attached to a first narrow side of the main part,

- The plug-in tab is a few millimeters wide, e.g. B. is 15 mm wide, shorter than the narrow side _{r is} connected to the adjacent narrow side via a plug-in tongue and has a suspension device, in particular a hole, and

- Wherein the main part a) has on its other narrow side a flap that is essentially as wide as the plug-in flap and is delimited by a flap-flap that is designed as a slot over the width of the flap and b) centrally between the Socket flap fold and the folding flap fold have a bottom center fold which is kinked in the opposite direction, to which two side folds, which are bent in the opposite direction to the bottom fold, are provided symmetrically and at a distance, so that between the two side folds two rectangular bottom walls and outside these two side folds two rectangular side walls are formed.

The decisive and inventive idea is therefore to design the folding box of the type mentioned at the beginning, which is still used as a container, in such a way that it fits into a two-dimensional surface can be folded out, hung on the wall like a picture, or read like a letter or a plan. The user should be able to fold out the folding box after removing the items housed in it and then use it in its second function, i.e. as a calendar, hanger, advent calendar, picture, greeting card, advertising poster, game board, street map, letter or the like. It is of course not excluded that the folding box will later be folded back into the three-dimensional container shape for its two-dimensional purpose.

Invention is thus taught not only to produce the folding box from a flat, one-piece blank, which has advantages for transport to the place where the folding box is opened into the three-dimensional shape, but the invention also teaches the cutting of the Form folding box so that the folding box after fulfilling its. three-dimensional packaging purpose can be spread back into the two-dimensional shape, the then obtained, flat, spread cut has a shape determined almost exclusively by a rectangle, so that it looks like a picture or a letter or plan. Decisive for this second purpose according to the invention, which is also referred to as the calendar function, is a form of two-dimensional cutting that is suitable for this second purpose. While it does not matter to the outer contour of the blank and this can have any external shape, it is in accordance with the Invention for the production of a folding box blank, from which a container can be unfolded, for example, in a perfumery or a praline shop Intended use, it is important that the cut has a pleasant shape, namely a rectangular shape, which is well suited for the uses described, for example as a calendar to hang on a wall or a greeting card.

A favorable design of the slot, in particular a good strength of the slot area, but also the plug connection with the plug-in tab, results if the plug-in tab is half as long as a narrow side.

Both the two side surfaces and the two are preferred Bodeπ walls, the same size with each other. This results in a pleasing, largely symmetrical shape of the unfolded container, while the second use is not influenced by this development.

Successful proportions, in particular of the unfolded container, result if the side walls are almost square, in particular if their width corresponds to 80 percent of the length of their narrow side. In the latter case, the unfolded container has a slightly elongated shape, which is well suited for typical packaging purposes, i.e. in the confectionery or perfumery sector.

In the unfolded state, the folding box described so far essentially forms a tubular body, the bottom walls and side walls of which form a W when viewed from the front. The relevant clear cross section of this tubular body can now be essentially a triangular shape, a very pointed triangle providing a good shape, but it can also be square, hexagonal and the like. An essentially rectangular tube section is obtained if the rectangular, one-piece main part between the hinged flap and the adjacent second side wall has a top wall, the width of which corresponds to the width of the two bottom walls and which over the hinged flap fold with the hinged flap and connected to the second side wall by a top wall fold bent in the same direction. With this top wall, the clear internal cross section is considerably larger than with a triangular shape, but relatively little cardboard material is required for the top wall.

In order to be able to form the container completely closed laterally in the unfolded state, it is proposed that the side walls and the bottom walls are connected on the edge side along both long sides of the main part, each with an integral end wall made of foldable material, fold folds of the end walls being formed on the long side and geschächt the material of the end wall so the scope of this Knickfalze, _* for example perforated, scratched or the like, is that the end walls can be completely separated along lines of weakness from the main part. This folding container is only accessible from above and has the advantage that objects accommodated in it are not laterally, via open end wall areas, can slip out. In order to be able to open it in the second scoring function, the end walls have to be separated, this is easy thanks to the lines of weakness and without the use of tools. The container cannot be folded out from a two-dimensional cut when the end walls are completely connected to it, but it can be folded into a very flat shape thanks to the bottom center fold so that not much space is required for the delivery of the prepared folding boxes.

In a particularly preferred development, the folding container is suitable as an advent calendar. For this purpose, it is proposed to cover the inside of the side walls ^" with a recess for receiving candy or the like, and to assign the recesses to the usual, door-forming U-stampings. These can, like in an Advent calendar, be broken open and opened, whereby the Access to the candy located in the recess is free. Similar applications are also conceivable for other holidays, birthdays, as an annual calendar or the like. The folding container according to the invention is therefore intensive beyond its actual packaging purpose and is preferably usable over a long period of time.

Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the remaining claims and the following description of a plurality of non-limiting exemplary embodiments which are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In this show:

1 shows a blank of a folding box with a substantially triangular, open end wall area, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the folding box unfolded from the blank according to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2, but on the other 4 shows a blank for a folding box which, when unfolded, has an open, essentially square end wall cross section, FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a folded folding box, which was produced from the blank according to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 shows a blank for an end wall, as is required to close an end face in the embodiment according to FIG. 3.

The folding box consists of a one-piece blank, as shown in Fig. 1 or 4. This blank is made of a thin, rigid cardboard material, in particular cardboard or a plastic film, and, as can be seen from the two figures mentioned, has an essentially rectangular shape. It is printed on at least one surface or is otherwise provided with a decoration or decoration and, in the unfolded state shown in FIGS. 1 or 4, can be hung on a wall like a calendar. Figures 1 and 4 thus also show the second state of use according to the invention. The first, known use of the folding box according to the invention, however, is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, each showing containers.

The blank according to FIG. 1 consists of a rectangular main part 20, which makes up the vast majority of the total blank, and a much smaller plug-in flap 22, which is integrally connected to the main part 20 via a plug-in flap fold 24. The tab is about 15 mm wide and extends over a length that the. half the length of an adjacent narrow side 26 of the rectangular main part 20 corresponds. In the second condition, the plug-in tab 22 is at the top when the blank is hung up. To simplify the suspension, the tab 22 has a suspension device in the form of a hole 28. Instead, other suspension means, for example a small slit, a cross-slit or the like, can also be provided, the only decisive factor is that in the suspended state, the cut in the second use case on the Insert tab 22 can be hung.

The main part 20 has on its other narrow side 30 a hinged flap 32 which extends over the entire length of the second narrow side 30 and is somewhat wider than the insert flap 22, the width of the hinged flap 32 is, for example, 30 mm. It is integrally connected to the rest of the main part 20 on a folding tab fold 34, in the folding tab fold 34 a slot 36 is also formed in the center, which is the length of the The length of the plug-in tab 22 is adapted, through this slot 36 the plug-in tab 22 can be inserted from above, that is to say in the illustration according to FIG. 1 or 4, from above the drawing levels downwards. This plug connection can be detached at any time, but it can also be glued.

The main part 20 essentially consists of two rectangular and equally large side walls 38, 40 and two bottom walls 42, 44 located between them. The two bottom walls 42, 44 are connected to one another by a bottom center fold 46, which is centered and parallel to the two folds 24, 34 runs. It is the only one of the folds described and yet to be described that it is bent in the opposite direction, it is angled so that it protrudes from the drawing plane in the illustration according to FIG. 1 and the two bottom walls fall obliquely downwards, namely to two side folds 48, 50 . 1 and 4, the inner wall area of the blanks is shown in plan view, the outer wall area lies below the plane of the drawing.

1 shows, the two side walls 38, 40 are almost square, but the narrow sides are about 20% longer than the associated sections of the long side 52. The bottom walls 42, 44 are relatively narrow, their width is a third or a quarter the dimension of the side walls 38, 40 measured in the same direction.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5 essentially corresponds to the previously discussed exemplary embodiment. The blank shown in FIG. 4, however, is somewhat longer when the width is unchanged, determined by the narrow sides 26, 30, and thus has a longer long side 52 than the blank according to FIG. 1. This is brought about by a top wall 54, which in the exemplary embodiment shown between the flap tab 32 and the second side wall 40 which is directly adjacent to this in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. The top wall has a width which corresponds to twice the width of a bottom wall 42 or 44. It is separated from the flap flap 32 by the flap flap 34 and merges in one piece with the top wall flap 56 into the second side wall 40. In an alternative embodiment, the top wall 54 can also be arranged between the tab 22 and the adjacent, first side wall 38. Finally, the top wall 54 can too be divided into two sections, one of which is provided at the point shown in FIG. 4, the other at the position just described between the tongue 22 and the first side wall 38. In the latter embodiment, the folding tab fold 34 is omitted, but the slot 36 remains, and the closure then takes place in the plane of the top wall 54.

2 shows the unfolded, container-shaped state of the blank according to FIG. 1. It results directly from unfolding this blank, due to the described counter-folding direction of the bottom middle fold 46, the bottom of the container formed from ^" the two bottom walls 42, 44 is folded inwards, so that in the side view in the bottom region approximately the course results according to the letter W. To close, the plug-in tab 22 is first inserted through the slot 36 and folded into the level of the second side wall 40, then the folding tab 32 is folded over and placed in the level of the second side wall 38. The tabs then spring back somewhat, they run in the practical execution not in the same plane to the side wall, as can be seen from the figures, _t this is irrelevant for the closing stop.

In the unfolded state, the blank according to Fig.- 4 which can be seen from Fig. 5, also laterally more open shape of the internal cross-section is essentially determined by a rectangle, while he ^'in the embodiment of FIG. 2 by a. pointed, high triangle is defined. The containers according to FIGS. 2 and 5 are open at the end wall, an object can be pushed into the end wall sides, but the closure can also be released or opened by means of the tabs 22, 32 in order to use the container function .

It is very advantageous to cover the inner sides of the cutouts according to FIGS. 1 or 4, in particular the side walls 38, 40, with recesses for receiving shell films, for example containing candy, and to provide pre-punched doors in the side wall regions 38, 40 mentioned. Then the container in FIGS. 2 or 4 first has the task of wrapping an Advent gift, when this gift is removed, the blank is unfolded again and then serves as an Advent calendar. Other functions, for example in different seasons, on holidays, birthdays or the like arise in a corresponding manner.

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a blank 58 for an end wall, as is used in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Overall, two such cuts 58 are required in order to be able to close both end wall regions. The blank 58 is made of a foldable material, preferably a somewhat thinner paper material than is used for the cutting of the main part 20 and the plug-in tab 22. A plastic film is particularly advantageous for the blank 58 because it can absorb the relatively strong kinks and folds of the blank 58 and survives without being destroyed.

The blank 58 has a rectangular main area 60, the dimensions of which are determined by the width of a side wall 38, 40 and both (combined) bottom walls 42, 44 measured along the long side 52. A total of three narrow tabs 62 to 66 are attached to the main area 60 and are used to fasten the blank 58 to the main part .20. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the coverage areas of the tabs 62 to 66 are shown in dash-dotted lines; it is also indicated where the individual tabs lie, the corresponding contact areas are each identified by a 1 behind them, are 621, 641 and 661. At the transition lines between the tabs 62 to 66 and the main area 60, folds 68 are provided, furthermore the main area 60 has a Y-shaped fold 70, which can be seen particularly in FIG. 3 and causes the main area 60 to collapse when the entire container is folded which the bottom middle fold 46 is folded inwards and the W profile of the bottom is closed thereby, folds inwards.

Lines of weakness 72 are provided along the crease 68, which are formed, for example, as perforations, piecewise, inconsistent cuts or the like. Through them, the main area 60 can be manually and cleanly separated from the tabs 62 to 66, so that the end walls can easily be removed from the main part 20 if - starting from the container design according to FIG. 3 - the cut back into the two-dimensional state according to FIG .1 should be opened if 10 \

you want to use the second function of the folding box according to the invention. Once the end walls have been removed, the container function according to FIG. 3 cannot be retained again, but the blank can be folded into the position according to FIG. 2 at any time.

- =.}

Claims

WO 88/03505 PCT / DE87 / 00495 \ 11 claims

1. folding box made of rigid cardboard material, in particular cardboard, in the form of a one-piece blank, which is composed of a rectangular main part (20) and a plug-in flap (22) attached to a first narrow side (26) of the main part (20),

- The plug tab (22) is a few millimeters wide, for. B. 15 in. is wide, is shorter than the narrow side (26), is connected to the adjacent narrow side (26) by means of a .plug flap (24) and has a suspension device, in particular a hole (28), and

- The main part (20) a) on its second narrow side (30) has a flap (32) which is substantially as wide as and preferably slightly wider than the flap (22), and by a flap rule fold (34) is limited, which is formed over the width of the insertion flap (22) as a slot (36) and b) in the middle between the insertion flap fold (24) and the folding flap fold (34) has a bottom center fold (46) which is bent in the opposite direction to this , to which .symmetrical and spaced apart two side folds (48, 50) in the opposite direction to the bottom center fold (46) are provided, whereby between the two side folds (48, 50) two rectangular bottom walls (42, 44) and outside of these two side folds (48, 50) two rectangular side walls (38, 40) are formed.

2. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the plug-in tab (22) is half as long as a narrow side (26)

3. Folding box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two side walls (38, 40) are the same size and the two bottom walls (42, 44) are also the same size.

4. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the width of a side wall corresponds to 20% to 60%, preferably 30% to 40% and preferably 35% of the width of a Bodeπwand (42 or 44).

5. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the side walls (38, 40) are almost square, in particular that their width corresponds to 80% of the length of their narrow side (26, 30).

6. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rectangular, one-piece main part (20) between the flap (32) and the adjacent second side wall (40) has a rectangular top wall (54), the width of the width of the corresponds to both bottom walls (42, 44) and which is connected via the folding tab fold (34) to the folding tab (32) and via a top wall fold (56) which is bent in the same direction to the second side wall (40).

7. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 6 ^* , characterized in that the side walls (38) and the bottom walls (42, 44). on the rajid side along both long sides (52) of the main part (20) are each connected to a one-piece end wall made of foldable material (at 621, 641, 661), folds (68) of the end walls being formed along the long side (52) and in the region of the latter Buckling (68) the material of the end wall is so weakened, for example perforated, incised or the like, that the end walls can be separated from the main part (20) along these lines of weakness (72).

8. A folding box according to claim 7, characterized in that the blanks (58) of the end walls have a rectangular main area (60) and on three tabs (62 to 66) attached from the side thereof, in particular adhesive tabs.

9. Folding box according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the end walls are made of a flexible, stiffer material and have a Y-fold (70) in the middle.

10. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on the side walls (38, 40), in particular on their inner wall area, a recess for receiving, for example, candy-containing sheet film is attached and that the side walls (38, 40) have door-forming U-stampings assigned to these depressions.

11. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the plug-in tab (22) and the folding tab (32) are releasably connectable to the opposite side walls (38, 40).