Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION BOX
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a storage and transportation box, which has a
high
compressive strength on all sides.
Background of the invention
There are known boxes which are used for storing and/or transporting objects.
These boxes are usually made from cardboard and comprise a hinged lid. Said
lid
normally is formed by four flaps, two upper flaps and two lower flaps.
These already known storage boxes are normally formed from a sheet provided
with
several fold lines, so that by a mounting process the box is obtained, and it
is ready
for use.
For stackable storage boxes and for shipping boxes it is usual to use
corrugated
cardboard for their reinforcement. However, this corrugated cardboard does not
effectively reinforce against compression all the faces of the box.
Examples of boxes formed from a sheet and provided with a hinged lid are
disclosed
in W02008139420A1 and W02012160543A1, of the same holder as the present
application.
W02008139420A1 discloses a storage and transportation box whose lid comprises
inner flaps and outer flaps, the outer flaps being engageable with each other.
The box disclosed in this document comprises a bottom formed by four sectors
joined together which allow to fold and unfold the bottom automatically upon
folding
or unfolding the box, but it does not provide resistance to side compression
in all
directions because of this configuration of the box bottom.
W02012160543A1 discloses a storage and transportation and shipping box,
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comprising a first pair of flaps, the ends of which are substantially in
contact with
each other, or are overlapping with each other, and a second pair of flaps
engageable with each other. Depending on their use, the first flaps and the
second
flaps can be used as inner flaps. Thus, if the box is used for storage, the
first flaps
are the inner flaps and the box is closed by the coupling of the second flaps,
and if
the box is used for shipping, the second engageable flaps are the inner flaps,
and
the box is closed using an additional closure element, e.g. an adhesive tape,
on said
first flaps.
In this document the bottom of the box is not disclosed, so that it may be a
conventional bottom, which does not provide lateral compression resistance
precisely in the area around said bottom.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reinforced
storage and
transportation box, in which all the faces of the box, i.e. the lid, the
bottom and the
four side walls, are reinforced and have a large resistance to compression,
compared to conventional boxes.
Disclosure of the invention
With the storage and transportation box of the invention said disadvantages
are
solved, presenting other advantages that will be described below.
The storage and transportation box according to the present invention is
formed
from a sheet of corrugated material, said corrugated material defining a
plurality of
channels parallel to each other, said box comprising:
- a lid on the upper face, comprising two inner flaps and two outer flaps,
two of said
flaps being engageable to one another;
- a bottom on the lower face; and
- four side walls, in which the channels of the corrugated material are
vertical or
inclined in the use position of the box;
wherein said bottom comprises two inner flaps and two outer flaps, two of said
flaps
of the bottom being engageable with each other.
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It must be pointed out that the inner flaps, in their use position, are
covered
completely or almost completely by the outer flaps. This means that the lid
and/or
the bottom has a double thickness of corrugated material in substantially the
whole
surface of the lid and/or the bottom.
Preferably, said engageable flaps are the inner flaps of the bottom and/or of
the lid,
but they could also be the outer flaps.
To enable the inner flaps or the outer flaps of the lid to engage, the fold
lines
separating the lid from the side walls could be aligned with each other.
Likewise, to enable the inner flaps or the outer flaps of the bottom to
engage, the
fold lines separating the bottom from the side walls could be aligned with
each other.
It should be noted that in the present description and in the claims the
"channels"
are understood to mean the channels of the corrugated material, for example,
corrugated cardboard or plastic, and these channels extend from the lid to the
bottom, and they are preferably orthogonal to the lid and to the bottom,
although in
some cases they can extend between the lid and the bottom forming an inclined
angle with respect to the lid and the bottom. In addition, it should also be
noted that
as the box is formed from a single sheet, this arrangement of the channels in
the
side walls also determines the arrangement of the channels in the lid and the
bottom.
Preferably, the coupling of the lid and/or bottom flaps is performed by one or
more
slots connected to the flap edge, with one end of the slot open in the edge
region,
and another end closed inwardly of the flap. Accordingly, the flaps are
partially
interlaced to each other by said one or more slots in each flap.
In some preferred embodiments, the closed inner ends of the oppositely
engageable
flaps are configured to substantially contact each other in a closed position.
This
way, it is possible to increase the lateral and vertical compression of the
box as a
whole. Said one or more slots are preferably parallel or diagonal with respect
to the
channels of the corrugated material.
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Advantageously, in some embodiments of the invention, said outer lid and/or
bottom
flaps are overlapped with each other. In other embodiments, said flaps are
with their
edges facing to each other in their closed position.
Thanks to this feature, the box is very resistant in all its faces, i.e., in
the lid, the
bottom and the side walls, irrespective of the position in which it travels.
In addition, it allows a reinforced structure expending the minimum cardboard,
avoiding access to the interior of the box because the inner engageable flaps
provide greater resistance in the central part.
On the other hand, the closure of the outer flaps does not damage the
engageable
inner flaps, being reusable.
Another advantage obtained with the box of the present invention is that the
bottom
has greater resistance to the weight of the contents, because the engageable
inner
flaps define a central zone with double thickness.
At the lid and the bottom, said channels of the corrugated material of the
inner flaps
are substantially perpendicular to the channels of the corrugated material of
the
outer flaps, since the box is formed from a single sheet.
The side walls, on the other hand, offer a resistance to vertical compression
when
several boxes are stacked together thanks to the vertical or diagonal
arrangement of
the channels of the corrugated material. In addition, the side walls also
exhibit a
resistance to side pressures, since the engageable inner flaps substantially
prevent
lateral compression and the edges of the inner flaps also contact the inner
side of
the side walls from which the outer flaps extend.
In addition, the presence of a double thickness of corrugated material in the
lid and
the bottom allows a cutting element to be used to open the box when the outer
flaps
are closed with an adhesive tape without damaging the products inside the box.
Another advantage of having internal flaps engageable in the lid and the
bottom is
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that the inside of the box cannot be improperly accessed before opening the
box,
unlike the conventional boxes, in which the inner tabs are spaced apart to
each
other.
5 Another advantage of the box according to the present invention is that
the flaps
forming the lid and the bottom do not move inside the box when they are closed
or
mounted in their use position, which means that the box can be closed at its
lid and
bottom when the box is full.
According to a preferred embodiment, said inner lid flaps and/or said inner
bottom
flaps comprise at least one coupling slot, defining at least two tabs. In
addition, to
facilitate coupling, one of said tabs is longer than the other. In some
preferred
embodiments, the engageable bottom and lid flaps incorporate 2, 3 and 4
engagement slots, defining 3, 4 and 5 tabs respectively, at least one of which
tabs
having a length greater than the rest to make the coupling easier and more
robust.
The incorporation of two or more coupling slots is especially interesting in
boxes for
storing or transporting elements of a remarkable length (for example, skis,
golf
clubs, rackets, lamps, curtains, etc.), since the multiple slots allow to
distribute and
to reinforce the locking mechanism along the entire length of the box.
In some embodiments, the longer tabs will extend substantially beyond the
intermediate closure line in closed configuration for reinforcing by a double
layer
both the coupling and locking mechanism, as well as the compressive strength
on
the bottom or lid. In those embodiments in which they include a plurality of
slots and
tabs, the tabs of greater and smaller length are preferably sequentially
alternated
along the edge to facilitate and reinforce the coupling mechanism at the same
time.
In some cases, the inner flaps of the bottom and/or the lid are connected with
the
outer flaps of the bottom and/or the lid by means of joining sectors. For
example,
said joining sectors are triangular and define a fold line in the inner flaps.
According to a preferred embodiment, said triangle defined by each joining
sector is
a right triangle with its sides of equal length.
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In addition, in some embodiments, the outer flaps of the lid and/or the bottom
of the
box preferably comprise a closure member, for example, a double-sided tape
and/or
glue, or a tab in the outer flaps which is introduced in a complementary
housing of
the inner flaps. Said closure element by projection and slot or complementary
housing, is also used, in some of the embodiments of the invention, as an
engaging
element in the engageable flaps.
In some embodiments of the storage and transportation box according to the
present invention, said outer flaps may comprise at least one tearable strip
for
facilitating the opening of the box.
For ease of handling, some embodiments of the storage and transportation box
according to the present invention comprise two handle-like holes on two
opposing
side faces.
Brief description of the drawings
For better understanding of what has been disclosed, some drawings in which,
schematically and only by way of a non-limiting example, some embodiments of
the
present invention are shown.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sheet forming a box according to the
present
invention, according to a first embodiment;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention
with the lid
and the bottom opened, according to said first embodiment;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention
with the lid
open and the bottom half-closed, according to said first embodiment;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention
with the lid
opened and the bottom closed, according to said first embodiment;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention
with the lid
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half-closed and the bottom closed, according to said first embodiment;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention
with the lid
and the bottom closed, according to said first embodiment;
Figures 7 to 15 are perspective views of the sheet forming several boxes
according
to the present invention, according to different embodiments;
Figure 16 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention,
in an
embodiment comprising a closing member and a tearable strip in the lid, the
lid
being half-closed;
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention,
in the
embodiment comprising a closing member and a tearable strip in the lid, the
lid
being closed and the strip partially torn;
Figure 18 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention,
in the
embodiment in which the inner flaps and the outer flaps are engageable;
Figure 19 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention in
which
corrugated material channels are shown vertical in the side walls of the box;
Figure 20 is a perspective view of a box according to the present invention in
which
the corrugated material channels are shown inclined in the side walls of the
box;
Figure 21 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the coupling between the
inner and outer flaps of the bottom or the lid;
Figure 22 is a plan view of an engageable flap, comprising two slots and three
tabs.
Description of preferred embodiments
Firstly, it is indicated that a box according to the present invention is
formed from a
single sheet of corrugated material, preferably corrugated cardboard, defining
a
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plurality of channels substantially parallel to each other.
The box of the present invention may be used for storage and/or transportation
of
products, i.e., it requires strength characteristics to prevent the products
from being
damaged during the use of the box, which is also stackable.
A first embodiment of the box according to the present invention is shown in
Figures
1 to 6.
According to this first embodiment, the box is formed from a corrugated
cardboard
sheet 1 which in its mounting position defines a lid 10, a bottom 11 and four
side
walls 12, 13.
The lid 10 is formed by two pairs of flaps, inner flaps 2 and outer flaps 3,
which
extend hingedly respectively from opposite side walls 12, 13.
The bottom 11 is also formed by two pairs of flaps, inner flaps 4 and outer
flaps 5,
which also extend hingedly respectively from opposite side walls 12, 13.
According to the embodiment shown, said inner flaps 2, 4 of the lid 10 and the
bottom 11 are engageable with each other, i.e. they comprise at least one slot
7
defining at least two tabs 8, 9, which in the assembly position are overlapped
with
each other. To facilitate said coupling, making it more robust both in
compression
and at the same time more stable in the closed position, one of the tabs 8, 9
may be
longer than the other, as can be seen in the figures.
However, it should be noted that such engageable flaps could also be the outer
flaps 3, 5 of the bottom 11 and/or the lid 10.
To enable the inner flaps or the outer flaps of the lid 10 to engage, the fold
lines
separating the lid 10 from the side walls 12, 13 could be aligned with each
other.
Likewise, to enable the inner flaps or the outer flaps of the bottom 11 to
engage, the
fold lines separating the bottom 11 from the side walls 12, 13 could be
aligned with
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each other.
The inner flaps 4 of the bottom 11 define, in their closed position, a
substantially flat
surface.
In some embodiments, the inner flaps 2, 4 are not attached to the outer flaps
3, 5,
i.e., they are only attached to the corresponding side wall 12, in the lid 10
and the
bottom 11, although in other cases, they are joined by joining sectors 14.
In the embodiment shown, the inner flaps 4 of the bottom 11 are attached to
the
outer flaps 5 by said joining sectors 14, and the inner flaps 2 of the lid 10
could also
be attached to the outer flaps 3 of the lid 10, although not shown in the
figures.
Moreover, the inner and outer flaps 5 of the bottom 11 could be devoid of said
joining sectors 14, as shown for the lid 10 in the figures.
Said joining sectors 14 are preferably triangular, in particular, defining a
right triangle
with its sides of equal length.
It should be noted that two opposing side walls 13 comprise, in some
embodiments,
handle-like holes 15, for facilitating the handling of the box.
The orientation of the channels of the corrugated material is vertical in the
side walls
12, 13 in their use position, or such channels may be diagonally inclined.
Further,
since the box is formed from a single sheet, this implies that the channels of
corrugated material in the inner flaps 2, 4 of the lid 10 and the bottom 11
are
substantially perpendicular to the channels of corrugated material in the
flaps 3, 5 of
the lid 10 and the bottom 11, reinforcing them.
Next, the process of mounting the box according to the present invention will
be
described.
Firstly, a fastening tab 16 is attached to the opposite side wall 13 in the
box
manufacturing plant itself. In this configuration, the box, in its
disassembled position,
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is completely flat, so that it occupies a reduced space for transportation
before filling
it with products.
When it is desired to use the box, it is placed in the position shown in
figure 2, with
5 its lid 10 and its bottom 11 open. The closure of the lid 10 and the
bottom 11 may be
carried out in any order, although the closure of the bottom 11 is first shown
in the
figures.
To do this, first the foldable inner flaps 4, as shown in figure 3, are folded
towards
10 the inside of the box.
According to this embodiment, since the outer flaps 5 are attached to the
inner flaps
4 by the joining sectors 14, this folding of the inner flaps 4 will also cause
the folding
of the outer flaps 5.
During the folding of the inner flaps 4, they engage each other through the
slot 7, the
tabs 8, 9 being overlapped with each other. It should be noted that the tabs
8, 9 are
dimensioned so that the flaps 4 are closed without the necessity of using an
additional closing element.
To close the bottom 11, according to the embodiment shown, an additional
closing
element is used for the outer flaps 5, such as an adhesive tape or staples. To
this
end, the outer flaps 5, in their closed position, have their opposite ends
substantially
in contact with each other, there being a slight separation, separated or
totally or
partially overlapped, so that it is possible to position said additional
closing element.
The closure of the lid 10 is similarly performed, firstly folding the inner
flaps 2,
engaging each other in the same manner and then folding the outer flaps 3 for
closing them with an additional closing element, for example an adhesive tape
or
staples.
As in the case of the outer flaps 5 of the bottom 11, the outer flaps 3 of the
lid 10, in
their closed position, also have their opposite ends substantially in contact
with each
other, there being a slight gap, or being totally or partially overlapped, so
that it is
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possible to place said additional closing element.
As indicated above, a box according to the present invention provides a
reinforced
box, which has a high strength in the lid, the bottom and the side walls
against
external forces towards the interior of the box.
In Figures 7 to 15 different embodiments of a box according to the present
invention
are shown.
For simplicity and clarity reasons, the same reference numbers are used to
identify
the same components of the box in all embodiments. In addition, only the
differences with respect to the first embodiment previously disclosed are
described
for the sake of simplicity.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the difference with respect to the first
embodiment is the presence of a closing element 17 in the outer flaps 3 of the
lid 10.
Said closure element 17 is a double-sided tape or glue, or any other suitable
element, for example, a projection on the outer flaps which is introduced into
a
housing complementary to the inner flaps.
In this embodiment, to facilitate the opening, the outer flaps 3 also comprise
a
tearable strip 6, which may be formed from a pre-cut strip in the flaps
themselves or
by an additional strip, for example of plastic material.
As seen in figure 7, in this embodiment, the outer flaps 3 of the lid 10 are
somewhat
longer than in the previous embodiment, so that they overlap each other, in
this
case partially, although it could overlap completely.
The assembly of the box in this embodiment is the same as that previously
described, as can be seen in figure 16. The difference is when the box is
closed, as
it is performed by said closing element 17, and when the box is opened, which
is
performed by said tearable strip 6, as can be seen in figure 17.
It should be noted, however, that, even if the tear strip 6 is used, the outer
flaps 3 of
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the lid 10, after a first opening, may be resealed by an additional closing
element,
such as an adhesive tape or staples.
In figure 8 a further embodiment of the box according to the present invention
is
shown. This embodiment is very similar to the embodiment of figure 7, the only
difference being the presence also of the closing element 17 and the tearable
strip 6
in the outer flaps 5 of the bottom 11.
Assembly, closure and opening are the same as in the previous embodiment.
In figure 9 a further embodiment of the box according to the present invention
is
shown. With respect to the first embodiment previously described, the
difference is
the presence of joining sectors 14 also between the inner flaps 2 and the
outer flaps
3 of the lid 10, their function being the same as the joining sectors
previously
described.
In figure 10 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. With respect to the above embodiment, the difference is the presence of
the
closing element 17 and the tearable strip 6 in the outer flaps 3 of the lid
10.
In figure 11 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. With respect to the previous embodiment, the difference is the presence
of
the closing element 17 and the tearable strip 6 also in the outer flaps 5 of
the bottom
11.
In figure 12 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. With respect to the first embodiment previously described, the
difference is
that the joining sectors 14 in the bottom 11 are not present, the inner flaps
4 and
outer flaps 5 of the bottom 11 being the same as the inner flaps 2 and outer
flaps 3
of the lid 10.
In figure 13 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. With respect to the above embodiment, the difference is the presence of
the
closing element 17 and the tearable strip 6 in the outer flaps 3 of the lid
10.
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In figure 14 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. With respect to the previous embodiment, the difference is the presence
of
the closing element 17 and the tearable strip 6 also in the outer flaps 5 of
the bottom
11.
In figure 15 a further embodiment of the box according to the present
invention is
shown. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of figure 12, except that
the
outer flaps 3, 5 of the lid 10 and of the bottom 11 are also engageable, i.e.
they
comprise at least one slot 7 defining a pair of tabs 8, 9, just like the inner
flaps 2, 4.
In this case, it is not necessary to use a closing element in the outer flaps
themselves or an additional closing element, since the outer flaps 3, 5 can
also be
closed by themselves thanks to the dimensions of the tabs 8, 9. The partial
closure
of the box of this embodiment is shown in more detail in figure 18, where the
inner
flaps 2 of the lid 10 can be seen in their closed position and the outer flaps
3
opened.
In figures 19 and 20 two boxes are shown according to the present invention
where
different portions of the side walls and the lid have been cut out to show the
channels of the corrugated material.
In figure 19 said channels are vertical in the side walls in the use position,
whereas
in figure 20 said channels are inclined in the side walls in the use position.
Figure 21 shows an embodiment of an engaging system between the inner flaps 2
and the outer flaps 3, comprising at least one tab 8 on the outer flap 3 that
is housed
in a slot 7 complementary to the inner flap 2.
It should be noted that this coupling system can be used in the lid 10 and/or
in the
bottom 11 of the box and that, although two tabs 8 and two slots 7 are shown
in this
figure, the engagement can also be done with a single tab 8 or with more than
two
tabs 8.
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Figure 22 shows an embodiment of an engageable flap comprising two slots 7 and
three tabs 8, 9, which can replace any of the above-described engageable flaps
of
the lid 10 and/or of the bottom 11.
Although reference has been made to several specific embodiments of the
invention, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the described
storage and
transportation box is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications,
that all
the mentioned details can be replaced by other technically equivalent ones,
and that
the features described in different embodiments may be combined with each
other,
without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.
