Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BOX CLOSURE
The present invention relates to a novel box
closure.
The present application is a division of
copending Canadian patent application Serial No. 371,000
filed February 16, 1981. The parent application is
directed to a Ballot Box Structure which may utilize the
closure structure of this invention.
Box closures of any types are known. Ho~lever,
box closures are not known wherein access to the interior
of the box through the edges of the closure cannot be
had.
In accordance with the present invention there
is provided in a box--like container having front and rear
walls, side walls and a bottom closure, the improvement
which comprises a generally planar top closure consisting
of: a first closure member including: a first panel
integrally joined to the rear wall, a second panel
integrally joined to one of the side walls and to the
first panel, and a third panel integrally hingedly joined
to the other of the side walls and to- the first panel,
the second and third panels each having a fold line
extending diagonally across the surface thereof to enable
each of the second and third panels to be folded upon
itself as the first panel hinges about its join to the
rear wall to effect closure of the container; and a
second closure member which is integrally hi..ged~y joined
to the front wall of the container, overlies the first
member and is constructed to maintain the top closure in
a container closing position.
B~ the integral joining of the f irst closure
memher to each of three top edges of the container walls
and the provision of the fold lines in the second and
third panels and by the overlying of the first closure
member by the second closure member which is integrally
joined to the other top edge, access to the interior of
the container cannot be attained through any top edge.
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The invention is described ~urther, by way of
illustration, with re~erence to the accompanying dra~7ings
wherein:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a ballot
box constructed in accordance with the invention of
parent application Serial no. 371,000 and including
elements for forming a top closure in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention;
Figures 2 to 4 illustrate the folding seql~ence
which is effected with the blank of Figure 1 to form a
ballot box in collapsed form;
: Figure 5 is a perspective view of a ballot box
in a collapsed form formed by the folding sequence of
Figures 2 to 4 suitable fo.r storage and shipping;
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective view of the
ballot box of Figure 4 illustrating the formation of the
:~ bottom closure from the collapsed form of Figure 4;
Figures 8 and 9 are perspective view of the
ballot box of Figure 5 illustrating the folding
opera~ions involved in assembly of the top closure such
top closure being in accordance with this invention; and
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the
. assembled ballot box illustrating the application of
sealing tape to the top closure.
Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings,
there is shown therein an integral blank 10 die cut, or
otherwise formed, from paperbord, which may be
corrugated, or other stiff cardbo~rd stock having the
rigidity required for structural integrity of the ballot
box, and bearing any desired printing material thereon.
The blank 10 comprises a plurality of
individual panels integrally joined together along crease
or fold lines. A first generally rectangular panel 12 is
joined along a first longitudinal crease line 14 to a
second rectangular panel 16 which is longitudinally
coextensive with but of narrower transverse dimension
than the first panel 12. The first panel 12 is joined
along a second longitudina:L crease line 18 to a third
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rectangular panel 20 which is dimensioned identically ,_o
the second panel 16.
A first lateral crease line 22 joins the first
panel 12 to a fourth rectangular panel 24 which is
longitudinally coextensive with the transverse dimension
of the first panel 12 and has a lateral dimension
substantially that of the second and third panels 16, 20.
The fourth panel 24 has a pair of parallel slots 26 and
28 formed therethrough parallel to the crease line 22,
with the slot 26 nearer the crease line 22 being of
shorter dimension than the other slot 28. The opposite
ends of the slots 26 and 28 are positioned approximately
equidistantly from the lateral edges of the panel 24.
A second lateral crease line 30 joins the first
panel 12 to a fifth panel 32. The fifth panel 32
includes a lateral free edge 34 which extends angularly
from the point of join of the crease lines 18 and 30 to a
longitudinal free edge 36 of the panel 32 which extends
parallel to the crease line 30. A crease line 38 extends
across the fifth panel 32 from the point of intersection
o the crease lines 14 and 30 to the free edge 36 at an
angle to the crease line 30 which is the same as for the
edge 34 to define a trapezoid-shaped panel 40 with the
edge 34 and a triangular panel 42 with the other lateral
free edge 44. A triangular notch 46 is cut from the
panel 42 adjacent the inhoard extremity of the fold line
38. A slot 48 is cut th-^ough the crease line 30
longitudinally thereof.
The second panel 16 is joined through one
lateral crease line 52 to a wing panel 54 which has a
free edge 56 extending at an angle to the crease line 52
parallel to the crease line 38 and an acutely angled edge
58 adjacent the free edge 44 of the panel 32.
The third panel 20 is joined through one
lateral crease line 60 to a sixth generally rectangular
panel 62 whicn has a lateral dimension the same as the
maximum lateral dimension of the fifth panel 32 and the
wing panel 54. The sixth panel 62 has a crease line 64
extending across the surface thereof angularly with
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respect to the crease line 60 and generally parallel to
the inclined edge 34 to define a triangular panel portion
65. A triangular notch 66 sized the same as notch 46 but
mirror-image shaped with respect thereto is provided at
the inboard end of the crease line 64.
The other lateral crease line 67 of the second
panel 16 joins the second panel 16 to a first square
panel 68, which is also joined by a crease line 70 to on~
lateral edge of the fourth panel 24. A small round hole
72 is formed at the corner join of crease lines 22, 66
and 70. A crease line 74 extends diagonally across the
square panel 68 from the hole 72 to the opposite corner,
which has a small square 76 cut therefrom.
The third panel 20 is joined through its other
lateral crease line 78 to a second square panel 80 which
is dimensioned the same as the square panel 68 but is
compLimentarily shaped with re~pect thereto. The square
panel 80 is joined to the other lateral edge of the
fourth panel 24 through crease line 82. A small round
hole 84 is formed at the corner join of crease lines 22,
78 and 82. A crease line 86 extends diagonally across
the s~uare panel 80 from the hole 84 to the opposite
corner, which has a small square 88 cut therefrom
Panel 20 is joined through its other
longitudinal crease line 90 to a seventh rectangular
panel 92 which is dimensioned the same as the first
rectangular panel 12. Th~ other longitudinal edge of the
panel 92 is joined through crease line 94 to an eighth
rectangular panel 96, which carries the outline of a
carrying handle 98.
Panel 92 is joined at one lateral edge 100
thereof to an eighth generally rectangular panel 102.
The free longitudinal edge 104 of the panel 102 has a tab
106 extending therefrom of length and location
substantially the same as slot 48. A crease line 108
extends across the panel 102 from the corner join of
crease lines 60, 90 and 100 to the tab 106 and defines an
appro~imate right-angle with the crease line 64.
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A crease line 110 joins the other lateral edge
of the panel 92 to a panel 112, which has convergent side
edges 114 which terminate in a crease line 116 parallel
to crease line 110 and joining the panel 112 to a panel
118 which has a maximum dimension slightly greater than
the length of slot 28.
Assembly of the blank 10 into a folded ballot
box 120, as seen in Figure 5, is effected in the
following manner, and as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4.
Panels 54, 32, 62 and 102 are folded inwardly about their
respective crease lines 52, 30, 60 and 100 until they lie
flat on respective panels 16, 12, 20 and 92. Panel 42 is
folded about crease line 38 to overlie panel 40 while
panel portion 65 is folded about crease line 64 to over
lie the remainder of the panel. Adhesive strips 43, 63
and 97 are heat applied to panels 44, 65 and 96
respectively (see Figure 2).
Panel 16 then is folded about crease line 14
until folded-over panel 54 engages folded-over panel 42
to effect adhesive joining of the two panels through
adhesive strip 43 (see Figure 3). Panel 92 then is
folded about crease line 90 until panel 96 engages
folded-over panel 16 and. folded-over panel 102 engages
-, folded-over panel 650 Adhesive joining is then effected
between the engaged panels through adhesive strips 63 and
97 to produce a collapsed form of a ballot box 120, as
seen in Figures ~ and S.
The flat, planar disassembled form of the
ballot box 120 which results from these folding and
glueing operations (see Figures 4 and 5) occupies
considerably less space than prior preformed rigid ballot
boxes and hence can be readily stored and shipped at
considerably less cost.
When it is desired to assemble the ballot box
120 for use, the bottom closure 122 first is formed by
squeezing opposite edges of the box to cause folding the
panels 12, 16, 20 and 92 until the side panels 16 and 20
are substantially perpendicular to the rear and front
panels 12 and 92 respectively. This folding action which
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is achieved in rapid effortless manner, causes the
elements of the bottom closure 122 to fold open as seer
in Figure 6 and to assume the posltions shown in Figure
7. The elements of the bottom closure 122- which were
originally adhesively-joined remain so in the assembled
form as a result of the unique coaction of the elements
thereof and the crease lines provided therein. The
structure is stabilized by the snapping of the tab 106
into the slot 48. As may be seen in Figure 6, the panel
102 is dimensioned slightly less than the bottom opening
of the box 120. If desired, self-adhesive strips may be
provided on the panel 102 and on the panel 40 to cause
adhesion of these panels and thereby result in- structure
stabilization.
Assembly of the top closure 124 is effected, as
seen in Figures 8 and 9, by folding the panel 24 about
crease line 22 while, at the same time, the panels 68 and
80 fold about crease lines 70, 66 and 74 and 82, 78 and
86 respectively until the panel 24 covers the top of the
box 120 with the panels 68 and 80 folded on themselves
underneath the panel 240 The panel 24 is dimensioned
slightly less than the top of the box 120.
The top closure 124 is completed by folding the
panel 112 down about crease line 110 and insertion of the
tab 118 through the slot 28. The tab 118 has notches 119
- adjacent the crease line 116 to enable the tab to snap
into the slct 28. Further security against opening of
the ballot box 120 may be provided by adhesive tape 126
which applied across the top closure 124 and into
engagement with the side panels 16 and 20, as seen in
Figure 10.
When assembled in this manner, the only access
to the interior of the ballot box 120 is through the slot
26 in the top closure 124. A reinforcement element 128,
or other convenient reinforcement, such as tape, is
attached to the panel 24 surrounding the slot 26 to
prevent the possibility of tampering, or accidental
damage to the slot opening.
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Although the assembly and strusture of the top
closure 124 have been described with reference to the
ballot box 120, the structure may be used for other
containers wherein access to the container around the
perimeter of the top closure is to be inhibited. The
slot 26 may be omitted from the top closure, depending on
the intended use thereof.
The bottom closure 122 is secure and access to
the interior of the ballot box 120 cannot be attained
therethxough, as is apparent from the above description
of its structure and formation. In addition, since the
panels 68 and 80 are integrally joined to both the side
panels 16 and 20 and the panel 24, the top closure 124 is
closed on all four sides and there is no possibility for
ballots to be inserted into the ballot box 120 nor to be
removed therefrom through the perimeter of the top
closure 124. This unique ~op closure structure may be
us~d in a variety of other box-like containers.
Once the polling has b~en completed, the box is
easily transported by the handle 98, which bends to a
position generally perpendicular to the panel 96 about
crease line 130 and finger holes 132 are used to carry
the ballot box 120. The weight of the ballot box 120 is
considerably less than the weight of prior art ballot
boxes, enabling a person to readily transport even a full
box with ease.
Once opened by electoral officials, the box may
be discarded, so that the prior art costs associated with
collection and warehousing of the ballot boxes are
eliminated.
In summary of this disclosure, the present
invention relates to a novel top closure construction
useful for the provision of a ballot box which avoids
- many of the prior art difficulties associated with rigid
ballot boxes. Modifications are possible within the
scope of this invention.
