GB2351489A - A box - Google Patents

Abstract

A box, especially but not exclusively a slip case for receiving one or more books, booklets or binders, made from sheet material has a double fold (32,34) along at least one of the edges of the box adjacent to and along a fold (26) bounding a side wall (28). In this way flaps (30,38,40) defined respectively by the said folds have their free edges lying within the box interior. Retaining means (64) are provided at an end of the double fold (32,34) to hold the box erect. Flaps (24,42) which extend inwardly from a rim at an open end of the box at an angle can yield to accommodate contents of varying depth.

Description

1 1 2351489 -1 A box The present invention relates to a box, especially

but not exclusively to a slip case for receiving one or more books, booklets or binders.

One construction of slip case which has been made hitherto comprises a sheet of cardboard which has been duly scored and folded into an open ended box, with flaps overlapping one another, and the overlapping being concealed by a covering of adhesive paper, which may bear appropriate printed graphics.

A disadvantage of such a construction is that the covering has to be applied to the cardboard as a further step after cutting and folding thereof, and this increases the complexity and cost of the manufacture, and also the cost of delivery in view of the bulk space occupied by the slip case.

The present invention seeks to obviate one or more of thes.e disadvantages.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a box, especially but not exclusively a slip case for receiving one or more books, booklets or binders, made f rom sheet material in which the latter has a capacity fold along at least one of the edges of the box adjacent to and along an edge fold of the sheet material, so that flaps defined respectively by the said capacity fold and the said edge fold have their outer edges lying within the box interior, and in which retaining means are provided at an end of the capacity f old to hold that end at a corner of the box.

Such a box can be readily folded from a flat blank, in which form it can be transported whilst occupying a minimum of space, with the box itself displaying a minimum of outer edge of the flat blank, and the flat blank itself can bear printed graphics which will be clearly visible on the outside of the box when the blank is folded up. The capacity fold inhibits bowing of the sheet material. Furthermore, no adhesive is required to create the finished box, which can be made up at the point of use into a rigid folded box construction.

The retaining means may comprise a tab.

Preferably, the box is an open box with the said corner being at the open end of the box.

Advantageously, the flaps defined respectively by the said capacity fold and the said edge fold lie flat against one another.

In a preferred embodiment, there are at least two such capacity folds on opposite sides of a wall of the box.

There may be an end capacity fold at the open end of the box bridging the said two capacity folds. Respective tabs may extend outwardly from two ends of a flap defined by the end capacity fold, and around respective portions of a rim of the box.

Preferably, these tabs are held in place by further tabs folded down and over them.

These further tabs may have portions which taper, enabling at least one flap at the open end of the box to be angled from the box rim inwardly towards the opposite side of the box. This facilitates accommodation by the box of contents of varying depth whilst retaining a made- to-fit appearance for the slip case, by virtue of a yielding of the angled flap towards its own side of the box.

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a slip case for one or more books, booklets or binders, having at least one flap at its open end which extends inwardly from a rim on one side of the box towards the far interior of the box at-an angle, so that it slants towards the other side of the box, the f lap construction being such that it can yield towards its own side to accommodate contents of varying depth whilst retaining a made-to-fit appearance.

An example of a box made in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a blank of the box opened out and laid substantially flat; Figure. 2 shows a perspective end view of the box made from the blank shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a further perspective end view of the box shown in Figure 2, at a different angle therefrom to show more of the interior of the box.

The blank 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a cut-out 4- f rom a single sheet of f luted corrugated board, the latter being substantially 700pm thick. Fluted board in this context is to be understood as board which comprises a laminate of corrugated material sandwiched between two 5 planar sheets of material.

The blank 10 comprises a front and a rear main wall 11 and 12, with an end wall 14 therebetween. The boundaries of these walls comprise score lines. Thus, there is a score line 16 defining a boundary between the rear wall 12 and the end wall 14, a score line 18 defining a boundary between the front wall 10 and the end wall 14, score lines 20 at intended upper and lower edges of the front wall 10, and a double score line 22 at an end edge of the wall 10 opposite to the score line 18.

This double score line 22 also defines an end flap 24 between that double score line and an outermost edge of the blank 10.

A double score line here means two parallel score lines which are adjacent to one another and which are parallel to one another.

Two further score lines 26 extending parallel to the score line 20 respectively define side walls 28 between the score lines 20 and 26, and flaps 30 between the score line 26 and outer parallel edges of the cut-out blank 10.

The periphery of the rear wall 12 is further defined, in addition to the score line 16, by a double score line 32 and a double score line 34 at respective opposite sides of the rear wall 12, and a double score line 36 at an end edge of the rear wall 12.

It will be appreciated from Figure 1 that the front wall 10 and the rear wall 12 are rectangles of the same size, and that the end wall 14 is also a rectangle, having a length which is equal to the width of the rectangle of each wall 10 and 12. The double f olds 22 and 26 and the folds 16 and 18 are therefore all parallel to one another, and the double folds 32 and 34 are in line with the folds 20.

The double fold 32 defines a flap 38 between the double fold 32 and a parallel outer edge of the cut-out blank 10.

Likewise, the double folds 34 and 36 define flaps 40 and 42 respectively.

Extending outwardly from each side wall 28 and adjacent to opposite ends of the flap 24 are tabs 44, there being a double fold 46 between each tab 44 and its associated side wall 28. The tabs 44 are longer than the width of the flap 24, and their ends 48 further from the double score lines 46, are each wider than the rest of the tabs 44. Furthermore, those parts of the tabs 44 between the side walls 28 and the ends 48 taper in a direction from the walls to the.ends.

Tabs 50 extend away from those ends of the flaps 30 which are closer to the end wall 14, and are demarcated from those flaps partly by score lines 52 and partly by blind slots 54 cut inwardly from the outermost edges of the blank 10.

Further tabs 56 extend outwardly from the ends of the side all 14 and are demarcated therefrom by score lines 58. The edge of each tab 56 is defined partly by a cut 60 between the tab 56 itself and the adjacent end of 5 the adjacent flap 28, a cut 62 at right angles to the cut 60 and positioned between the tab 56 itself and the tab 50, and then outermost edges of the cut-out blank 10 define the rest of the tab 56, with its width further from the side wall 14 being greater than the width adjacent to that side wall.

Lastly, the cut-out blank 10 has respective tabs 64 extending outwardly from the ends of the flap 42 and demarcated therefrom by score lines 66. Each tab 64 has a length approximately twice that of the width of the flaps 38 and 40, and each tab 64 is centrally scored by a further score line 68 parallel to the score lines 66.

When the cut-out blank 10 shown in Figure 1 is folded up correctly, it is the form of the box or slip case shown in Figures 2 and 3. It will be appreciated in this respect that the side of the blank which is visible in Figure 1 ends up on the inside of the box shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The box shown in Figures 2 and 3 is open ended, with the mouth of the box being defined by the double score lines 22, 36 and 46.

It will be seen that wherever there is a double score line in the blank 10, in the box shown in Figures 2 and 3, there is a double fold so that the portions of the board which are on opposite sides of each double score line lie parallel to one another and adjacent to one another, spaced apart by the line spacing between the two score lines which constitute the double score line. The board which is between those two component lines is generally at right angles to the board which is on opposite sides of the double score line. This double fold is referred to as a capacity fold herein.

It will also be appreciated that the capacity fold created at the double score line 34 extends all the way from the closed end of the box shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the open end thereof, adjacent to and along an edge fold created along the line 26. Furthermore, it results in one of the flaps 30 and the flap 38 resting against one another on one side of the box and the other of the flaps 30 and the flap 40 resting against one another on the other side of the box, with their cut or outer edges lying within the box interior and the flap 42 being folded over and. covering those ends of the flaps 30, 40 and 38 which are at the open ends of the box. Furthermore, the tabs 64 extend around the periphery of the open end of the box, with end portions of those tabs being covered by the flap 24 and inner portions of those tabs 64 being covered by the tabs 44, the wider end portions of which are snapped in below the associated ends of the flaps 24 and 42.

The tapering of the tabs 44 enables the flaps 24 and 42 to be angled, so that they extend towards the f ar interior of the box and slightly towards one another. This creates a variable capacity slip case, so that contents of varying depth can be inserted therein. Contents of greater depth will cause the flaps 24 and 42 to yield against the respective sides of the box, so that the latter retains a made-to-fit appearance.

The tab 50 is folded inwardly and underneath the tab 56 as shown in Figure 3.

It will be seen that the resulting box is created without the use of any adhesive and has very little cut edge exposed. Furthermore the capacity folds on the opposite sides of the rear wall 12 are held firmly at their ends by virtue of one end being firmly held at the closed end of the box and the other end being held in position by the flaps 30 and 42, as well as the tabs 64.

This inhibits any bowing of the rear wall 12 from the side walls 28, and creates a rigid construction from a folded flat sheet.

Furthermore, the outside of the board either before or immediately after it is cut to provide the blank 10 can have graphics material printed directly on to it, so that when the blank is folded into the box, the printed material is clearly visible.

Many variations may occur to the reader of this specification without taking the resulting construction outside the scope of the present invention. Other sheet material could be used, such as open fluted board, polypropylene sheet, corrugated sheet material or plain or solid board. Any of these materials could have a further sheet laminated to them, prior to or after folding, even though this is not necessary. The fluted corrugated board may be anything from 500pm to 3mm thick.

If a flat plain solid board is used instead, it could be from 250pm to 1000pm thick.

Claims (11)

Claims:

1 A box, especially but not exclusively a slip case for receiving one or more books, booklets or binders, made from sheet material in which the latter has a capacity fold along at least one of the edges of the box adjacent to and along an edge fold of the sheet material, so that flaps defined respectively by the said capacity fold and the said edge fold have their outer edges lying within the box interior, and in which retaining means are provided at an end of the capacity fold to hold that end at a corner of the box.

2. A box according to claim 1, in which the retaining means comprise a tab.

3. A box according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the box is an open box with the said corner being at the open end of the box.

4. A box according to any preceding claim, in which the flaps defined respectively by the said capacity fold and the said edge fold lie flat against one another.

5. A box according to any preceding claim, in which there are at least two such capacity folds on opposite sides of a wall of the box.

6. A box according to any preceding claim, in which there is an end capacity fold at the open end of the box bridging the said two capacity folds.

7.. A box according to any preceding claim, in which respective tabs extend outwardly from two ends of a flap defined by the end capacity fold, and around respective portions of a rim of the box.

8. A box according to claim 7, in which these tabs are held in place by further tabs folded down and over them.

9. A box according to claim 8, in which these further tabs have portions which taper, enabling at least one flap at the open end of the box to be angled from the box rim inwardly towards the opposite side io of the box.

10. A slip case for one or more books, booklets or binders, having at least one flap at its open end which extends inwardly from a rim on one side of the box towards the far interior of the box at an angle, so that it slants towards the other side of the box, the flap construction being such that it can yield towards its own side to accommodate contents of varying depth whilst retaining a made-to-fit appearance.

11. A box substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the Figures of the accompanying drawings.