Box formed from a sheet material, blank

• US 5,400,955 A
• Filed: 02/05/1993
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises Incorporated (Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Otor S.A.
• Inventors: Bacques, Jean-Yves, Coalier, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/014,453
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 229/40, 229/101, 229/113, 229/117.12, 229/117.13, 229/116, 229/108, 229/109, 206/427
• US Class Current: 229/108
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/0022 made from tubular webs or blanks, including by tube or bottom forming operations
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/28 around mandrels, e.g. for forming bottoms
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/52 by reciprocating or oscillating members, e.g. fingers by plungers moving through folding dies B31B50/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2301/10 Blanks mutually positioned to minimise waste material upon cutting out the individual blank from a continuous or large sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/008 the container body having a pyramidal shape

Abstract

Box of sheet material, such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, including square or rectangular lateral faces, in pairs, connected by a folding line. The folding lines are mutually parallel and the lateral faces forming a right-angled parallelepiped (pa). This box includes other lateral faces forming a pyramid (py) adjoined by its base to the parallelepiped. It is obtained from a blank of sheet material including triangular or trapezoidal panels hinged to rectangular or square panels.

Claims

1. A blank of sheet-type cardboard which is folded to produce a packaging having a bottom, a parallelepiped portion upstanding from the bottom, a truncated pyramid portion upstanding from the parallelepiped portion, and a top, said blank comprising:

a series of four rectangular first panels connected together through first parallel folding lines extending from a top part to a bottom part of said first panels, wherein said first panels form the parallelepiped portion when folded along said first folding lines;

a series of four lower flaps, a respective said lower flap being connected at a respective bottom part of a respective said first panel through a respective second folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, wherein said four lower flaps form the bottom when folded along said second folding lines;

a disconnected series of four second panels having free lateral edges therebetween and at each end of the series so that eight free lateral edges are provided, an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective said lower part of each respective said second panel is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective third folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) four of the eight free lateral edges of said second panels are formed as a triangular tab connected to a remainder of said second panel by a fourth folding line,

(c) all of said free lateral edges of said second panels are separated laterally from any adjacent said free lateral edge by a defined distance, and

(d) said second panels form the truncated pyramid portion when folded along said third folding lines and said triangular tabs form a connection between said second panels when folded over along said fourth folding lines and connected to an adjacent said second panel; and

a series of four disconnected upper flaps having an upper part and a lower part, a respective lower part of each respective said upper flap being connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective fifth folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another having a surface area equal in size to the top of the packaging, wherein said upper flaps form the top when folded along said fifth folding lines.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said four tabs are formed integrally with two of said second panels which are non-adjacent.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2 wherein said defined distance is 3 mm to 10 mm.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said four tabs are respectively integrally formed with a separate respective said second panel.

5. A blank as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are adjacent pairs of said lateral edges of said second panels with the adjacent pairs of lateral edges being inclined relatively and in alternating directions to said third folding lines, and wherein said fourth folding line of one respective said tab of a respective second panel is parallel to the lateral edge of the other said tab of the respective said second panel.

6. A blank of sheet-type cardboard which is folded to produce a packaging having a bottom, a parallelepiped portion upstanding from the bottom, a truncated pyramid portion upstanding from the parallelepiped portion, and a top, said blank comprising:

a series of four rectangular first panels connected together through first parallel folding lines extending from a top part to a bottom part of said first panels, wherein said first panels form the parallelepiped portion when folded along said first folding lines;

a series of four lower flaps, a respective said lower flap being connected at a respective bottom part of a respective said first panel through a respective second folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, wherein said four lower flaps form the bottom when folded along said second folding lines;

a disconnected series of four second panels having free lateral edges therebetween and at each end of the series so that eight free lateral edges are provided, an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective said lower part of each respective said second panel is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective third folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) four of the eight free lateral edges of said second panels are formed as a triangular tab connected to a remainder of said second panel by a fourth folding line,

(c) said tabs form an isosceles triangle with an apex at an intersection of said lateral edge and said fourth folding line, with a respective said apex separated from an adjacent said third folding line by a predetermined distance, and

(d) said second panels form the truncated pyramid portion when folded along said third folding lines and said triangular tabs form a connection between said second panels when folded over along said fourth folding lines and connected to an adjacent said second panel; and

a series of four disconnected upper flaps having an upper part and a lower part, a respective lower part of each respective said upper flap being connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective fifth folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another having a surface area equal in size to the top of the packaging, wherein said upper flaps form the top when folded along said fifth folding lines.

7. A blank as claimed in claim 6 wherein said predetermined distance is between 3 mm and 3 cm.

8. A blank as claimed in claim 6 wherein said four tabs are formed integrally with two of said second panels which are non-adjacent.

9. A blank as claimed in claim 6 wherein said four tabs are respectively integrally formed with a separate respective said second panel.

10. A blank as claimed in claim 8 wherein there are adjacent pairs of said lateral edges of said second panels with the adjacent pairs of lateral edges being inclined relatively and in alternating directions to said third folding lines, and wherein said fourth folding line of one respective said tab of a respective second panel is parallel to the lateral edge of the other said tab of the respective said second panel.

11. A blank of sheet-type cardboard which is folded to produce a packaging having a bottom, a parallelepiped portion upstanding from the bottom, a truncated pyramid portion upstanding from the parallelepiped portion, and a top, said blank comprising:

a series of four rectangular first panels connected together through first parallel folding lines extending from a top part to a bottom part of said first panels, wherein said first panels form the parallelepiped portion when folded along said first folding lines;

a series of four lower flaps, a respective said lower flap being connected at a respective bottom part of a respective said first panel through a respective second folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, wherein said four lower flaps form the bottom when folded along said second folding lines;

a disconnected series of four second panels having free lateral edges therebetween and at each end of the series so that eight free lateral edges are provided, an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective said lower part of each respective said second panel is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective third folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) four of the eight free lateral edges of said second panels are formed as a triangular tab connected to a remainder of said second panel by a fourth folding line, and

(c) said second panels form the truncated pyramid portion when folded along said third folding lines and said triangular tabs form a connection between said second panels when folded over along said fourth folding lines and connected to an adjacent said second panel; and

a series of four disconnected upper flaps having an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective lower part of each respective said upper flap is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective fifth folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another are large flaps having a surface area equal in size to the top of the packaging,

(c) said large flaps include two gripping orifices therein, and

(d) said upper flaps form the top when folded along said fifth folding lines.

12. A blank as claimed in claim 11 wherein said four tabs are formed integrally with two of said second panels which are non-adjacent.

13. A blank as claimed in claim 11 wherein said four tabs are respectively integrally formed with a separate respective said second panel.

14. A blank as claimed in claim 12 wherein there are adjacent pairs of said lateral edges of said second panels with the adjacent pairs of lateral edges being inclined relatively and in alternating directions to said third folding lines, and wherein said fourth folding line of one respective said tab of a respective second panel is parallel to the lateral edge of the other said tab of the respective said second panel.

15. A blank of sheet-type cardboard which are folded to produce two separate packagings having a bottom, a parallelepiped portion upstanding from the bottom, a truncated pyramid portion upstanding from the parallelepiped portion, and a top, said blank comprising:

two blank portions which are subsequently separated, each said blank portion including

a series of four rectangular first panels connected together through first parallel folding lines extending from a top part to a bottom part of said first panels, wherein said first panels form the parallelepiped portion when folded along said first folding lines;

a series of four lower flaps, a respective said lower flap being connected at a respective bottom part of a respective said first panel through a respective second folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, wherein said four lower flaps form the bottom when folded along said second folding lines;

a disconnected series of four second panels having free lateral edges therebetween and at each end of the series so that eight free lateral edges are provided, an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective said lower part of each respective said second panel is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective third folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) four of the eight free lateral edges of said second panels are formed as a triangular tab connected to a remainder of said second panel by a fourth folding line, and

(c) said second panels form the truncated pyramid portion when folded along said third folding lines and said triangular tabs form a connection between said second panels when folded over along said fourth folding lines and connected to an adjacent said second panel;

a series of four disconnected upper flaps having an upper part and a lower part, wherein

(a) a respective lower part of each respective said upper flap is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective fifth folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines,

(b) two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another are large flaps having a height and a surface area equal in size to the top of the packaging and the other two said upper flaps are small flaps smaller in height and in surface area than said large flaps, and

(c) said upper flaps form the top when folded along said fifth folding lines; and

wherein said two blank portions are disposed as if rotated about an axis perpendicular to a plane of the blank with respective said large flaps of each of said blank portions head to head with respective said small flaps of the other said blank portions.

16. A blank as claimed in claim 15 wherein said four tabs of each said blank portion are formed integrally with two of said second panels which are non-adjacent.

17. A blank as claimed in claim 15 wherein said four tabs of each said blank portion are respectively integrally formed with a separate respective said second panel.

18. A blank as claimed in claim 16 wherein in each said blank portion there are adjacent pairs of said lateral edges of said second panels with the adjacent pairs of lateral edges being inclined relatively and in alternating directions to said third folding lines, and wherein said fourth folding line of one respective said tab of a respective second panel is parallel to the lateral edge of the other said tab of the respective said second panel.

19. A box which is produced from a blank of sheet-type cardboard which is formed by being folded around a mandrel, said box comprising:

an upstanding parallelepiped portion formed by a series of four rectangular first panels connected together at each end of the series by gluing and through first parallel folding lines extending from a top part to a bottom part of said first panels;

a bottom located below said parallelepiped portion formed by a series of four lower flaps, a respective said lower flap being connected at a respective bottom part of a respective said first panel through a respective second folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines;

a truncated pyramid portion upstanding from said parallelepiped portion and formed by a series of four second panels connected by gluing and having lateral edges therebetween and at each end of the series so that eight free lateral edges are provided, an upper part and a lower part, wherein a respective said lower part of each respective said second panel is connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective third folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines; and

a top formed at an upstanding end of said pyramid portion by a series of four disconnected upper flaps having an upper part and a lower part, a respective lower part of each respective said upper flap being connected to a respective top part of a respective said first panel through a respective fourth folding line which is perpendicular to said first folding lines, two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another having a surface area equal in size to said top of the packaging.

20. A box as claimed in claim 19 wherein four of the eight lateral edges of said second panels are formed as a triangular tab which are connected to a remainder of said second panel by a fourth folding line, which said tabs are connected to an adjacent said second panel by gluing.

21. A box as claimed in claim 20 wherein said four tabs are formed integrally with two of said second panels which are non-adjacent.

22. A box as claimed in claim 19 wherein said tabs form an isosceles triangle with an apex at an intersection of said lateral edge and said fourth folding line, with a respective said apex separated from an adjacent said third folding line by a predetermined distance.

23. A box as claimed in claim 20 wherein said four tabs are respectively integrally formed with a separate respective said second panel.

24. A box as claimed in claim 19 wherein two of said upper flaps not adjacent one another include gripping orifices therein which overlap.

25. A box as claimed in claim 21 wherein there are adjacent pairs of said lateral edges of said second panels with the adjacent pairs of lateral edges being inclined to form a plane with the associated said third folding lines.