EP0810157B1 - Readily collapsible cardboard box - Google Patents

Abstract

A box made from cardboard or other semi-rigid material has side and end walls and a base made from two inner and two outer (42,82) parallel flaps, joined together by fastenings. The base flaps have diagonal fold lines (43,83) and a system (23,63) for separating the inner base flaps from the outer ones along the fold lines. The base flaps are joined together by areas of adhesive between their facing surfaces. The separating system is made in the form of cuts in the inner and outer flaps which cause them to separate from one another when pushed inwards.

Description

The invention relates to the field of packaging made of cardboard or other material. semi-rigid. It relates in particular to packaging of the type comprising a part with four panels forming a belt and at least one part constituting a wall of background.

The packages known as American crates are widely used for the storage and transport of everyday consumer items. The crates include a belt with four panels and two walls, one lower and the other superior. These are carried out, after shaping the belt, by folding of flaps which extend the four panels of the belt. More precisely, we place blocks of glue on the outer face of two opposite flaps, we fold them 90 ° and then fold the other two flaps over the first. So the four flaps are join together two by two, one inside the other outside, and form the wall background. After loading, the box is closed in the same way. It is certain that these operations can be automated.

After use, the box is dismantled to facilitate its storage and disposal for destruction or recycling of the cardboard, if applicable. In big box stores, the number of cases that staff are having to handle can be very important. A means allowing a flat return easy of these cases after they have been emptied of their contents is therefore desirable.

We also know packaging of this type but separable in two parts, one, lower, forming a display tray, the other, upper, constituting the cap that is removed at the point of sale of the articles contained in the tray. For this packaging model, it is also desirable to be able to easily flatten the cover.

The present invention proposes to solve this problem.

US-A-4,658,961 shows a cardboard package comprising four walls forming a belt and at least one bottom wall formed by two flaps interior and two exterior flaps made integral two by two. The wall of bottom includes means for folding along a diagonal.

According to the invention, a cardboard or other packaging is proposed. semi-rigid material of the type comprising four walls forming a belt and at minus a bottom wall formed by two parallel interior flaps and two flaps parallel exteriors made integral by two, by means of attachment, the wall of bottom comprising a means of folding along a diagonal, characterized in that the bottom wall further comprises two means for separating the interior flaps outer flaps on either side of said diagonal.

Such packaging can be easily flattened thanks to the implementation combined means under the action of a simple pressure exerted on the bottom wall towards the inside.

The means for attaching the flaps to each other preferably consist of glue blocks, in particular hotmelt glue, applied hot by means of applicator guns.

The folding means consists, for example, of an alternating cut made on at least one of the outer flaps from one of the corners of the bottom. The axis of folding thus formed has the function of facilitating the bringing together in scissors of the two walls forming the said angle. We make folding even easier if we plan a alternate cut on the inner flap parallel to that of the outer flap. A alternating cutting is preferred to simple creasing because it allows more folding effective. Creasing is not to be excluded, however.

The means for separating the inner flaps from the outer flaps of each side of the diagonal are preferably formed by precuts delimiting a detachable portion of the interior flaps. This portion includes the means of attachment between the inner flap and the corresponding outer flap. So, we facilitates the opening of the angle formed by the two walls located on the same side of the diagonal.

A particular advantage of the solution of the invention is that it does not modify the cutting cardboard. The user can volume this packaging as a traditional packaging without having to modify its training and closing installation flaps.

• La figure 1 représente une plaque de carton pour la formation d'une caisse américaine comprenant les caractéristiques de la présente invention.
• La figure 2 représente la caisse réalisée à partir de la plaque de carton selon la figure 1.
• La figure 3 représente une plaque de carton pour la réalisation d'un emballage présentoir incorporant les caractéristiques de la présente invention.

Other advantages and characteristics will appear on reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a cardboard plate for the formation of an American box comprising the characteristics of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 represents the box made from the cardboard plate according to FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 represents a cardboard plate for producing a display packaging incorporating the characteristics of the present invention.

There is shown in Figure 1 a plate 1 of cardboard or other material equivalent, cut and grooved to form an American box. This one, after assembly, has been shown in Figure 2. The plate 1 comprises, as is well known, panels 2, 4, 6, 8, delimited by the respective grooves 21, 24, 46, 68 (represented by broken lines) and the edge 85, as well as a stud 3 between the creasing 21 and the edge. On either side of this alignment, the panels 2, 4, 6, 8 are extended respectively by panels 21, 22, 41, 42, 61, 62, 81, and 83. When put in volume of the body, first form the belt by folding the panels around the creasing and fixing the post 3 to the panel 8 along the edge 85, by gluing or stapling. To form the bottom, the panels 22 and 62 which constitute then the interior flaps. Glue is applied to these two flaps, for example two hotmelt glue blocks, each in an area near the free angles. We fold then the other two flaps while keeping them pressed against the first two while the glue hardens. The flaps 42, 82 constitute the outer flaps. So the blocks of glue constitute the means for attaching the flaps together. The flaps are joined by two, that is to say an inner flap with an outer flap. We have thus four connections: 22/42, 22/82, 62/42 and 62/82.

After loading, we proceed in the same way to close the box. It is it is also possible to use adhesive tape or other means for closing.

According to the invention, on this cardboard plate has been provided means to facilitate the flattening of the box after use.

A preferential folding means has been provided for the outer flap 42. This is constituted by an alternating cut 43 rectilinear of the flap 42, traced from the angle adjacent to the groove 24 to its free edge. By precut or alternate cut, hears the cutting of the plate along a succession of segments separated by uncut areas and constituting studs or attachment points. In the case of a alternate cutting the attachment points are longer than in the precut. This cutout 43 forms an alpha angle with the edge of the flap located in the extension of the creasing 24. This angle is for example 45 ° but it can deviate substantially. We have provided a second alternate cut 83, identical to the first, on the flap 82 which is not adjacent to the flap 42. This precut forms the same alpha angle with the edge of the flap 82 located in alignment with the crease 68. In order to make the folding more easy, two alternate cuts are also provided, 23 'and 63' respectively, on the flaps 22 and 62. They form an alpha angle with the creasing delimiting their flap respective.

A means 23 has also been provided for separating the flaps 22 and 82 and a means 63 for separating the flaps 62 and 42. These means 23 and 63 are constituted by precuts which delimit a portion, 25 and 65 respectively, likely to be detached from the flap. This portion extends over the flap, 22 resp. 62, from such that the attachment means, 22/82 resp. 62/42, either included in the zone as well demarcated.

The volume of the box according to the invention is no different from the one described above. FIG. 2 shows the returned box of so you can see the back wall. The inner flaps 22 and 62 are visible by transparency.

When after use, you want to put the box flat, just exercise a pressure on the bottom in the direction of the arrow; for example a punch. The attachment means constituted by the adhesive pavers are provided to resist constraints thus created. However, due to the precuts 23 and 63, the points of attachment connecting the portions 25 and 65 to their respective flaps 22, 62 yield, and authorize the rotation of the flaps around their respective creasing. These portions 25 and 65 remain integral with the flaps 42 and 82 respectively By continuing to exert pressure on the bottom, we bring each flap against the panel to which it is attached. This movement is guided by the two lines 43 and 83 around which the flaps 22 and 42 pivot on the one hand, and 62 and 82 on the other. At the end of the movement, the chisel formed by the panels 6 and 8 is closed as well as that formed by panels 2 and 4. The flattening is completed. To facilitate pivoting of the flaps by reducing the resistance due rubbing against adjacent walls, auxiliary grooves can be provided 26, 46, 66, 86.

There is shown in Figure 3 a cardboard plate for the realization display packaging as described in the patent application EP 93402026. This plate has the advantage of being able to be set in volume of the same way as an ordinary American case. The present invention is applied to advantageously to part I of the box which constitutes the cap of the packaging. This can be flattened after being detached from the portion II forming display tray.

Claims (9)

1. Packaging made of cardboard, or of another semi-rigid material of the type comprising four walls (2, 4, 6, 8) forming an enclosure, and at least one base wall formed by two parallel inner flaps (22, 62) and two parallel outer flaps (42, 82), which are rendered integral in pairs by means for attachment, the base wall comprising a means (43, 83, 23', 63') for folding according to a diagonal, characterised in that the base wall additionally comprises two means (23, 63) for separating the inner flaps from the outer flaps, on both sides of the said diagonal.
2. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the means for attachment consist of blocks of glue placed between the outer surface of the inner flaps (22, 62), and the inner surface of the outer flaps (42, 82).
3. Packaging according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the means for folding consist of an alternating cut-out (43, 83) provided in at least one of the two outer flaps, starting from a corner of the base wall, and forming an angle (alpha) with the edge of the flap.
4. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the means for folding also consists of an alternating cut-out (23', 63') provided in at least one of the inner flaps.
5. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of the means for separating the flaps consists of a pre-cut-out (23, 63), which delimits a detachable portion of flap (25, 65).
6. Sheet of cut-out cardboard, comprising four walls (2, 4, 6, 8), two inner flaps (22, 62) and two outer flaps (42, 82), which are designed to form a base wall, characterised in that the said flaps comprise a means (43, 83, 23', 63') for folding according to a diagonal, and two means for separation (23, 63), which are designed to separate the inner flaps from the outer flaps, on both sides of the said diagonal.
7. Sheet according to the preceding claim, characterised in that, in two non-adjacent flaps, it comprises a straight alternating cut-out (43, 83), forming an angle of between 30° and 60° with the edge of the flaps, and constituting the means for folding.
8. Sheet according to claim 6, characterised in that, in two non-adjacent flaps, it comprises a pre-cut-out (23, 63), which permits detachment of a portion (25, 65) of the said flaps, and constitutes the means for separation of the flaps.
9. Sheet of cardboard according to claim 7 and claim 8, characterised in that the said straight cut-out (43, 83) is provided in two non-adjacent flaps (42, 82), and the said pre-cut-out (23, 63) which permits the detachment of a portion (25, 65) of flap, is provided in the other two flaps (22, 62).

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