WO2001008986A1

WO2001008986A1 - Box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar, and a method for manufacturing such boxes

Info

Publication number: WO2001008986A1
Application number: PCT/SE2000/001480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Olle Randehed
Original assignee: Ramlösa Tekniska Ab
Priority date: 1999-08-02
Filing date: 2000-07-12
Publication date: 2001-02-08
Also published as: SE9902825D0; AU6044500A; SE9902825L; JP2003506266A; EP1220789A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar and comprises a front side (1) and a rear side (2), two narrower edge sides (9, 14) and a bottom side (11) and also an upper lid side (17) which can be folded forwards and constitutes an extension of the rear side (2). The invention is characterized by an inner lid constituting an extension of the front side (1) by means of an inwardly directed edge side (3) from the upper end of the front side (1) with an opening (4) for removal of the contents, which edge side (3) can be folded when it meets the rear side (2) and, with a length at least corresponding to the thickness of the box, is fastened to the rear side lid (17) and then folded forwards through an angle of 90° both on the sides and along the rear side fastening, constituting the inner lid which can be opened and closed together with the outer rear side lid (17). The invention also comprises a method for manufacturing the boxes.

Description

TITLE

Box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar, and a method for manufacturing such boxes.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar of the type used for, for example, throat lozenges, powder, for accommodating spray bottles and similar. This tablet box, which can thus be used for products other than tablets, has a size and a design similar to known tablet boxes and it can be kept in a pocket, bag or other suitable place about a person who is to use the contents.

STATE OF THE ART

Tablets which people carry with them are often packed in sealed bags which have a tear-off indication for one of the edges at which the bag can be opened by tearing off so that the person has access to the contents. It is then hardly possible to reseal such a bag, indeed the contents must be of such a type that they withstand being exposed to air and they must also be in the form of tablets of such a size that they do not easily fall out through the opening which is usually closed simply by folding. Tablets are also distributed in the form of boxes with a front and a rear side, two edge sides, a bottom side and a lid which usually starts from the rear side and can be folded over the opening and closed by insertion of a flap into a part of the box. Such boxes are widely used for various sorts of throat lozenges and are well-known. They can also be used for various kinds of powder which then have to be contained in a plastic bag which can accommodate the entire contents or in the form of portion bags.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM The abovementioned examples of well-known packagings and other such packagings also can in themselves function well if the contents are of a suitable durable type, but they afford no possibility of measuring out doses of the contents. It is therefore necessary to shake out a suitable number of tablets, or a suitable quantity of powder or the like to be used at one time, without any possibility of reintroducing left over removed material into the box in a simple manner.

There has for a very long time been a requirement for a tablet box which allows the measuring-out of doses and which securely closes the packing for protecting the contents for a long time.

THE SOLUTION

According to the present invention, the abovementioned problems of the known packagings have been solved, and a box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar has been produced, comprising a front side and a rear side, two narrower edge sides and a bottom side and also an upper lid side which can be folded forwards in at least two steps and constitutes an extension of the rear side, which box is characterized by an inner lid constituting an extension of the front side by means of an inwardly directed edge side from the upper end of the front side with an opening for removal of the contents, which edge side can be folded when it meets the rear side and, with a length at least corresponding to the thickness of the box, is fastened to the rear side lid and then folded forwards through an angle of 90° both on the sides and along the rear side fastening, constituting the inner lid which can be opened and closed together with the outer rear side lid. According to the invention, it is suitable for the outer lid to be provided, on its outermost edge, with a locking tongue intended to be introduced into a slit in the front side close to the bottom thereof.

According to the invention, the outer lid can be perforated approximately in its central part, the outer part being intended to be capable of being torn off, then forming one or more locking tongues on the tear-off edge of the inner part for insertion into corresponding slits in the front side of the box.

According to the invention, it is also suitable for the flaps on the edge sides of the outermost folding portion of the inner lid, which constitute the sides thereon in the folded-forward state, to have a width which is the same as the thickness of the box.

According to the invention, it is highly suitable for two flaps extending in opposite directions to be arranged on both the side flaps on the inner lid for on the one hand securing the latter by gluing one of these flaps on both the side flaps to the outer lid and on the other hand reinforcing the sides on the lid by folding and gluing the other folded flap on both the side flaps to these.

The invention also comprises a method for manufacturing the boxes according to the invention, which method is carried out in five steps and includes introduction of the material which is to be kept in the box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a stamped-out cardboard sheet which, in the folded and glued state, will constitute the box according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows the folding and the introduction of an object into the half-finished box, and Fig. 3 shows a finished box according to the invention with the lid unfolded. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a stamped-out piece of cardboard or board in the unfolded state, which constitutes the starting blank for the production of the packing box according to the present invention. The material for this starting blank can be that which is normally used for such packing boxes, consisting of approximately 90% board and 10% polyethylene which constitutes a coating on the board. Other suitable materials are of course also possible.

That part of the starting blank which is to constitute the front side of the box is designated by 1 , and the rear side is designated by 2. In continuation backwards, that is to say to the right in the figure, of the front side 1 and with a length corresponding to the thickness of the box to be produced, there is a piece 3 which will constitute the lid side or emptying side of the box. This part 3 is provided with a suitable opening 4 for emptying out the contents. Approximately half of the opening can be left behind as a foldable flap on the piece 1. This flap is intended as a locking piece 21. Beyond the piece 3 to the right in the figure, there is a piece 5 which can be folded towards the piece 3, has a length in the longitudinal direction of the unfolded blank corresponding to the thickness of the box and constitutes the piece which is to be fastened to the rear lid. Beyond this piece 5, there is then a piece 6 which can be folded towards the latter, which piece 6 is approximately the same size as the piece 5 but has upwardly foldable side flaps 7 which will constitute the side on the inner lid. On these side flaps 7, there are on both sides two flaps 8 which can be folded in both directions and will constitute a reinforcement of the side edges of the inner lid and a reinforced connection to the rear lid. On the piece 6, there is another flap 22 which is intended to be folded in and glued on the piece 6 and to constitute a locking flap which is to interact with the locking piece 21.

Upwardly foldable side edges 9 are arranged on both sides of the piece 1. These side edges 9 are provided with flaps 10 which are intended to be folded inwards in the finished box, that is to say upwards towards the reader. To the left of the front piece 1 , there is a downwardly foldable part constituting the bottom part 11. Arranged in the front side 1 , close to this piece 11 , is a slit 12 for insertion of the locking flap 13 on the outer lid.

Arranged on the rear side piece 2 in the same manner as in the case of the front side piece 1 are two edge sides 14. These are intended to be folded and glued together with the edge sides 9 on the front piece 1 on the finished box. The ends of the edge sides 14, in the form of two flaps 15, are intended to be folded inwards and to bear against the piece 3 on the inside of the box. These flaps 15 can be omitted. The rear side 2 of the box continues in an extension 16 which can be folded in relation to the rear piece 2 and has a length in the longitudinal direction of the blank of approximately the thickness of the box. Beyond the extension 16, there is finally the rear side lid 17 which can be folded in relation to the extension 16 and bears the flap 13 for insertion in the slit 12. In the drawing, this rear side lid 17 is approximately square but it can be designed differently and does not have to be so long. For example, it can be perforated, suitably in the central portion, and the outer part can then be intended to be torn off and provide space for a list of contents or similar. At the tear-off edge on the remaining part of the rear side lid 17, one or more flaps must then be formed for insertion into the front side of the box when it is closed. This is indicated in Figure 3.

An opening 18 can suitably be designed in the rear side lid 17 for hanging the box on a bar or the like in the open state.

Figure 2 shows the box during assembly. The numbers used here relate to the same components as the numbers in Figure 1. How the various parts are folded and brought together emerges clearly from the figure. A spray bottle or the like 19 is intended to be introduced into the box before it is finally glued together. It is important that the nozzle on this bottle 19 will protrude through the opening 4 in the piece 3. Assembly can be carried out in a number of steps.

In the first step, the stamped-out sheet is pressed down in a folding station, and the flaps 10 are glued on the outside and fastened to the piece 11 which is simultaneously folded up. In this position, a bottle or bag can be put in place.

In step two, glue is applied to the sides 9 and 16, and the rear piece 2 is folded forwards. The edge sides 14 are then folded down and glued on the outside of the side edges 9.

The cavity in the box is now finished and tablets can now be metered in if other contents have not previously been introduced. In this third step, the flaps 8 are folded and glued and they are folded over the piece 5 and glued on. The flap 22 is folded and glued on the piece 6.

In the fourth step, the piece 3 is folded inwards, and the pieces 5 and 16 are glued together. In the fifth step, the locking piece 21 is folded outwards, and outer sealing over the opening 4 with a part-coated label can be carried out if appropriate. Both lids can then be closed. As the inner lid is closed, a snap is heard when the locking tongue enters into engagement with the locking flap.

Lastly, Figure 3 shows the box in the fully assembled but open state. The side edges 9 and 14 have been joined together, and the piece 3 has been brought into position by virtue of the piece 5 having been glued to the rear side lid 17. The piece 6 has been folded up from the rear side lid 17, the side flaps 7 have been bent inwards, and the flaps 8 on the side flaps 7 have been bent on the one hand outwards and glued to the side flaps 7 and on the other hand inwards towards the rear side lid 17 and glued thereto. The latter flaps 8 are therefore not visible in the figure.

When the box is to be closed completely, the outer rear side lid 17 is folded together with the inner lid around the folding line 20. The sides 7, 8 on the inner lid will then slide on the outside of the edge sides 9, 14, and the piece 6 will come to lie on top of the front side 1. The rear side lid 17 is then folded over the inner lid, and the locking tongue 13 is guided down into the slit 12 or, if the rear side lid 17 has the second embodiment, the flaps which are then brought about are pushed down into corresponding slits. The contents in the packing box are therefore stored safely by virtue of the fact that a double lid protects the opening. The inner lid can also be used as a dose-measuring compartment as a suitable number of tablets can be shaken out into it or the compartment can be filled or partly filled with powder or other material. The present invention therefore affords the double advantage that the material contained in it is well protected by the double lid and the box itself can be used as a dose-measuring compartment. For additional protection of the contents against the environment, a protective paper can be arranged on the inside of the box. This is suitably applied after the sheet has been stamped out but before assembly. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown but can be varied in different ways within the scope of the patent claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Box for packing tablets, spray bottles and similar, comprising a front side (1) and a rear side (2), two narrower edge sides (9, 14) and a bottom side (11) and also an upper lid side (17) which can be folded forwards in at least two steps and constitutes an extension of the rear side (2), characterized by an inner lid constituting an extension of the front side (1 ) by means of an inwardly directed edge side (3) from the upper end of the front side with an opening (4) for removal of the contents, which edge side (3) can be folded when it meets the rear side (2) and, with a length at least corresponding to the thickness of the box, is fastened to the rear side lid (16, 17) and then folded forwards through an angle of 90° both on the sides and along the rear side fastening, constituting the inner lid which can be opened and closed together with the outer rear side lid (17).

2. Box according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the outer lid (17) is provided, on its outermost edge, with a locking tongue (13) intended to be introduced into a slit (12) in the front side (1 ) close to the bottom (11 ) thereof.

3. Box according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the outer lid (17) is perforated approximately in its central part, the outer part being intended to be capable of being torn off, then forming one or more locking tongues on the tear- off edge of the inner part for insertion into corresponding slits in the front side (1 ) of the box.

4. Box according to Claim 1 , characterized in that side flaps (7) on the edge sides of the outermost folding portion (6) of the inner lid, which constitute the sides thereon in the folded-forward state, have a width which is the same as the thickness of the box.

5. Box according to Claim 4, characterized in that two flaps (8) extending in opposite directions are arranged on both the side flaps (7) on the inner lid for on the one hand securing the latter by gluing one of these flaps (8) on both the side flaps (7) to the outer lid (16) and on the other hand reinforcing the sides of the lid by folding and gluing the other folded flap (8) on both the side flaps (7) to these.

6. Method for manufacturing boxes according to any one of Patent Claims 1 -5, characterized in that in a first step, a stamped-out sheet correctly stamped out for forming the box is pressed down in a folding station, after which the flaps (10) are glued on the outside and fastened to the piece (11) which is simultaneously folded up, in a second step, glue is applied to the sides (9) and (16), and the rear piece (2) is folded forwards, after which the edge sides (14) are folded down and glued on the outside of the side edges (9), in a third step, the flaps (8) are glued and folded over the piece (5) and glued on, and the flap (22) is folded and glued on the piece (6), in a fourth step, the piece (3) is folded inwards, and the pieces (5) and (16) are glued together, after which in a fifth step, the locking piece (21) is folded outwards, the opening (4) is sealed with a label if appropriate, and both the lids are guided forwards and closed until a snap is heard from the inner lid.

7. Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that a bottle with contents or a bag is inserted in the first step.

8. Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that tablets are metered in in the third step if a bottle or bag has not previously been inserted.