GB2188036A

GB2188036A - Stacking box

Info

Publication number: GB2188036A
Application number: GB08704865A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Perales Hilario Sanchez
Original assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Current assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Priority date: 1986-03-19
Filing date: 1987-03-02
Publication date: 1987-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-02
Also published as: DE3703251A1; FR2596019B1; FR2596019A1; GB8704865D0; GB2188036B

Abstract

An open "tray" type box is formed from three preformed sheets of cardboard or similar material. One of the sheets forms the base (1) and sides (2,3,4,5) of the tray and the other two sheets (6,7) act as reinforcing elements which are fitted into the inside of the box and provide a double wall at its opposite sides. Each reinforcing element is folded at its ends to provide a dihedral which has two walls (8,9) adapted to fit in each corner of the box to provide brackets on which another box can be rested to form a stack. The tray may also include a lid which can act as a stand on which another box can be placed to form a stack. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved stacking box This invention relates to boxes and more particularly to a box or tray which can be placed on top of similar boxes to form a stable stack thereof.

According to the invention, there is provided a tray or box comprising a base with upstanding walls and two reinforcing elements inserted in the box and attached to two opposite facing walls thereof, the opposite ends of each reinforcing element being folded to provide a dihedral including two walls, a first of which extends across the corner of the box formed between the wall to which the reinforcing element is attached and the immediately contiguous box wall and the second dihedral wall being attached to said contiguous wall.

The invention provides a box whose design, construction and assembly characteristics have been developed so that it can be assembled completely by mechanical means, thereby avoiding the need for manual assembly.

Preferably, the box is made from three sheets of material, ideally but not necessarily of preformed corrugated cardboard. Such sheets have hardly any clippings providing waste material thereby providing an important economic benefit.

In a preferred embodiment, each reinforcing element has a ridge in the centre of its upper edge and a slot in its lower edge coinciding with this ridge, so that one tray can be superimposed on another, fitting the ridge of the box situated on a lower level into the slot provided in the box arranged on the next level up. In this way, the base of each tray rests on the upper edge of the box ends and on the ends of the other two sides and also on the reinforcing elements which form the double walls. The upper ridges of these fit into the base and side walls of the box that is superimposed thereon thus stabilizing and holding it and substantially reducing the possibility of sideways displacement.

The box of the invention may also be fitted with a lid, preferably also formed from a sheet of corrugated cardboard. In one embodiment, each of the longest sides has an orthogonal flap or skirt on it. Another tray can be placed on the lid and thus be perfectly stable and in optimum conditions to support in turn, a similar tray situated one level up, forming a stack in which the upper ridges of each tray will fit into the slots of the next tray up, assuring good stability of the cargo formed.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a box or tray of the invention, Figure 2 shows another embodiment, Figure 3 shows a still further embodiment, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a lid for use with the boxes or trays of Figures 1 to 3 which forms a stand on which another tray can be stacked, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a similar lid to that shown in Figure 4, but adapted for use with the tray or box of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a box or tray comprising a base 1 having longer sides 2, 3 and short sides or ends 4, 5. Two complementary sheets or reinforcing elements 6, 7 are joined and stuck to the inside face of the ends 4, 5 to form a double wall. Each sheet 6, 7 has a double fold at each end, which forms the two walls 8, 9 of each of two dihedrals, by means of fold line 10. The first of these walls 8 is situated in the inside of the box forming a face which extends from one end wall across each corner to its adjacent longest side. The second wall 9 of the dihedral is joined to the inside face of the adjacent longest side of the tray to which it is connected by means of glue.

By means of this arrangement, the two dihedrals are formed in each corner of the tray, which not only considerably reinforce it but also provide strengthening support brackets on which, either with or without an interposing lid, another similar tray can rest to form a stack.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a lid 11 which has two orthogonal lips 12, 13 along its longest edges, the edges 14, 15 of the shorter sides having no such lips. Each edge 14, 15 which coincides with the ends of the box, has a respective cutaway 16, 17 in its centre, to receive a tab 18, 19 which projects from the upper edge of the complementary sheets 6, 7 joined to the respective box ends 4, 5.

In Figure 4 it can be seen that the lips 12, 13 of the lid 11 each have a cutaway portion 20 located opposite cutaway portions 21, 22 provided in the upper edge of the longest sides 2, 3 of the tray, thereby providing a wide space to air the product contained in the tray.

Referring now to Figure 2, it can be seen that the complementary pieces 6, 7 are fitted inside the tray against the inside face of the ends 4, 5 suitably impregnated with glue, so that when these complementary pieces are joined, they will be firmly stuck to their respective ends. Likewise, the dihedrals 8, 9 formed at both ends of the complementary pieces 6, 7 have their end faces 9 fitted to the inside faces of the longest sides 2, 3 of the body of the tray, and can be permanently joined to them by strips of previously applied glue.

The end walls 4, 5 each have an extension at their opposite ends which forms flaps 23, 24 folded at 90" and applied against the outside face of the corresponding sides 2, 3 to which they are stuck by means of strips of adhesive which have already been applied to said sides by a glue applicator (not shown) on the machine which folds the cardboard blank into the finished box.

The described boxes have the advantage that they can be made completely by mechanical means. In the box of Figure 2, a pair of lugs project from the upper edges of the ends 4, 5, these lugs being situated at the corners of the tray and being folded over at 90" along fold line 27 to provide each of two angular ridges 25, 26 in each corner of the tray.

These ridges extend upwardly by a greater height than the corner supports 8, 9 to provide buffers into which grooves 28 in the lower corners of another superimposed box can fit.

Figure 3 shows a variation of the trays of Figures 1 and 2, in which the complimentary sheets 6, 7 are higher than the sides of the tray, and project upwardly above them by a substantial amount. This box is assembled during manufacture by folding the sides upwardly through 90 and then folding the end flaps 25, 26 of the ends 4, 5 around the sides 2, 3 and applying them to the outside faces thereof to which they are joined in any suitable way, preferably by adhesive. The body of the box thus formed, has a uniform upper edge which has the same height along all its sides without any projecting pieces.

In the box of Figure 3, the complementary sheets 6, 7 are fitted vertically into the inside of the formed box, and are joined and stuck respectively onto the inside face of the ends 4, 5 which have two double folds in their ends to form the two walls 8, 9 of each of two dihedrals which are shaped to fit into the corners of the formed box, in such a way that wall 8 is situated transversally between the end wall and its nearest long side, and terminal wall 9 is joined and stuck to the inside face of the same longest side, in the same way as already described for the trays of Figures 1 and 2.

A particular feature of the complementary cardboard pieces 6, 7 is that their height is greater than the upper edges of the sides of the box so they project upwardly from it by a considerable distance whereby when a lid or another box is placed on top, wide, free spaces are formed between it and the upper edges of the sides of the box, through which efficient airing of the products contained in the formed box can be achieved.

The additional sheets of cardboard 6, 7 just described form a support along their upper edge which is capable of supporting another box or a similar box with or without a lid 11 such as that shown in Figures 4 and 5. The stability of the superimposed box is increased by the dihedrals formed by folded portions 8, 9 of the complementary sheets 6, 7 which are situated at the four corners of the box.

As already pointed out, the box of the present invention can be closed by a completely independent sheet or lid 11. One form of lid is shown in Figure 5 which has lips 13 on all its edges which are turned downwardly through 90" to form a continuous skirt which is adapted to cooperate with the complementary sheets 6, 7 on which it will rest. By means of this lid 11 a platform is provided on the top of the box on which another similar box can be placed to form a stable stack.

The lid 11 also has a longitudinal cut out portion 20 in each of its longest sides which allows air to circulate in the space formed between the lid and the upper edge of the longest sides of the box.

Claims

1. A tray or box comprising a base with upstanding walls and two reinforcing elements inserted in the box and attached to two opposite facing walls thereof, the opposite ends of each reinforcing element being folded to provide a dihedral including two walls, a first of which extends across the corner of the box formed between the wall to which the reinforcing element is attached and the immediately contiguous box wall and the second dihedral wall being attached to said contiguous wall.

2. A tray or box as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second dihedral wall is folded over so as to make an acute angle with respect to the first dihedral wall.

3. A tray or box as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each reinforcing element is made of a sheet of cardboard.

4. A tray or box as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the dihedrals at each end of the reinforcing elements provide a support in the adjacent corner of the box, the upper edge of each dihedral being located below the upper edge of said adjacent box corner.

5. A tray or box as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each upper corner of the box has a projecting part extending partially along the immediately adjacent side wails, the bottom corners of the box having cooperating notches adapted to receive said top corner projecting parts when another box is stacked thereon.

6. A tray or box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the dihedrals at each end of the reinforcing elements provide a support in the adjacent corner of the box, the upper edge of each dihedral being located above the upper edge of the adjacent corner of the box thereby creating an air gap when another box is stacked thereon.

7. A tray or box as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a lid having two foldeddown flaps or skirts extending along two of its opposite edges.

8. A tray or box as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lid has a cutaway portion in the centre of its two other edges, each of which is adapted to cooperate with a tongue which projects from the upper edge of each of the reinforcing elements.

9. A tray or box as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the folded-down flaps of the lid each have a cut-out portion extending therealong adapted to cooperate with corresponding cut-out portions in the upper edges of the box to provide an air cavity between these cooperating cut-out portions.

10. A tray or box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the lid has a continuous skirt extending around its periphery, the width of the skirt along two opposite sides of the lid being reduced to provide an air gap and the lid being adapted to fit onto the box to provide a horizontal, level, platform type surface on the box capable of supporting another box or boxes thereon to form a stack.

11. A tray or box substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.