Display box having a hinge including a flexible and rigid portion

• US 6,910,584 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henderson Mcpherson Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Henderson Mcpherson Pty Limited
• Inventors: Newth, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US10/365,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 206/751, 206754-755, 206/443, 206/446, 229/125.07, 229/125.08, 229/125.11, 229/125.18, 229/125.19, 229/165, 220836-838, 220/841, 220/845
• US Class Current: 206/755
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/0022 Making boxes from tubular webs or blanks, e.g. with separate bottoms, including tube or bottom forming operations
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/20 provided with two or more compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2241/001 Making bottle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/252 using presses or dies
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/622 Applying glue on already formed boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/81 Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/08 Creasing corrugating B31F1/20; zig-zag folding B65H45/20 ; combined with folding B31F1/0012, B31F1/0022; grooving by cutting B26D3/06, B26D3/08; by milling grooves B23C3/30; of plastics material B29C53/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5035 Paper elements in combination with wooden elements B65D5/5095
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5059 Paper panels presenting one or more openings or recesses in wich at least a part of the contents are located B65D5/5038, B65D5/5052, B65D5/5057 and B65D5/5286 take precedence

Abstract

A display box including a base tray and lid, the lid being connected to the base tray by a hinge element formed integrally with the lid. The hinge element includes a formed flexible hinge portion having inner and outer webs extending between the lid and base tray across an offset between their rear walls. It also includes a rigid hinge portion that lies adjacent to the inner face of the base tray'"'"'s rear wall, and is attached to a tray insert via a tab. The arrangement is such that, at closure, the lid sits flush on the base tray, and such that the lid can remain in an open position inclined to the vertical, with the flexible hinge portion taut and the lower end of the lid rear wall abutting the outer face of the base tray rear wall. This allows an item to be displayed in the box in an attractive and pleasing manner.

Claims

1. A display box comprising:

a base tray having a rear wall, a lid having a rear wall, and a hinge element for connecting the lid with the base tray;

wherein the hinge element extends along and down from at least a part of an inner lower edge of the lid rear wall, and includes a flexible hinge portion that is attached to the lid and a rigid hinge portion that is mounted within the base tray and lies adjacent the rear wall of the base tray;

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over and against an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the rigid hinge portion and the lid under the influence of the weight of the open lid, the tension in the flexible hinge portion limiting the degree of opening of the lid and holding the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.

2. The display box of claim 1, wherein the rigid hinge portion is mounted within the base tray such that it may move vertically parallel to the base tray'"'"'s rear wall.

3. The display box of claim 1, wherein the box includes an insert for holding an item to be packaged.

4. The display box of claim 3, wherein the rigid hinge element is attached to the insert.

5. The display box of claim 3, wherein the insert is a tray insert.

6. The display box of claim 5, wherein the rigid hinge portion has a lower end along at least a portion of which is provided a tab portion, the tab portion being attached to the tray insert.

7. The display box of claim 6, wherein the tab portion is connected to a base portion of the tray insert.

8. The display box of claim 1, wherein when the box is closed, the base tray rear wall and lid rear wall are vertically offset from one another.

9. The display box of claim 1, wherein the base tray and lid are made from card blanks.

10. The display box of claim 1, wherein the flexible hinge portion is formed along its length, such that when the box is closed the lid is able to lie on the base tray with the rear walls of the lid and base tray lying flush with one another.

11. The display box of claim 1, wherein the lid and hinge element are formed integrally with one another.

12. A display box comprising:

a base tray having a rear wall, a lid having a rear wall, and a hinge element for connecting the lid with the base tray,

wherein the hinge element extends along at least a part of an inner lower edge of the lid rear wall, and includes a flexible hinge portion that is attached to the lid and a rigid hinge portion that is mounted within the base tray and lies adjacent the rear wall of the base tray;

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the rigid hinge portion and the lid under the influence of the weight of the open lid, the tension in the flexible hinge portion limiting the degree of opening of the lid and holding the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical;

wherein the lid and hinge element are formed integrally with one another from a blank, the rigid hinge portion being connected to the lid by a liner sheet, and the flexible hinge portion being formed from a portion of the liner sheet extending between the lid and the rigid hinge portion.

13. The display box of claim 12, wherein the lid and hinge element are covered with a wrap, the flexible hinge portion being formed from a portion of the liner sheet and a portion of the wrap.

14. A display box including a base tray, an insert within the base tray for holding an item for display, a lid, and a hinge element integrally formed with the lid for mounting the lid to the base tray, wherein:

the base tray includes a rear wall having an upper end;

the lid includes a rear wall having a lower inner edge from which the hinge element extends; and

the hinge element includes a flexible hinge portion that extends from the lower inner edge of the lid rear wall to a rigid hinge portion lying within the base tray adjacent the base tray'"'"'s rear wall, the rigid portion being attached to the insert;

the arrangement of the base tray, insert, lid and hinge element being such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over and against the upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut against the insert via the rigid hinge portion under the influence of the weight of the lid, to limit the degree of opening of the lid and hold the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.

15. A method of making a display box, the method comprising:

forming a base tray from a blank, the base tray having a rear wall;

forming a lid from a blank, the lid having a rear wall and a hinge element; and

connecting the lid to the base tray through the hinge element;

wherein the hinge element includes a flexible hinge portion that extends from an inner lower edge of the lid rear wall, and a rigid hinge portion that is mounted within the base tray and lies adjacent the rear wall of the base tray;

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over and against an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the lid and the rigid hinge portion under the influence of the weight of the lid to limit the degree of opening of the lid and hold the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.

16. A method of making a display box, the method comprising:

forming a base tray from a blank;

forming a lid and hinge element from a blank, including forming a slot in a blank sheet, providing a liner sheet at least across the slot on the side of the sheet that will be the inside of the box, and cutting a blank from the blank sheet such that the perimeter of the blank intersects the slot towards the ends of the slot so as to define a lid wall flap and a rigid hinge portion that are connected together by a flexible hinge portion formed from the liner sheet that extended across the slot;

and mounting the rigid hinge portion inside the base tray adjacent a rear wall of the base tray;

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the rigid hinge portion and the lid under the influence of the weight of the lid to limit the degree of opening of the lid and hold the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.

17. The method of claim 16, including the step of forming an insert for the base tray, and attaching the rigid hinge portion to the insert.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a wrap is provided about the lid and hinge element, and wherein a portion of the wrap is formed to extend from an edge of the rigid hinge portion to form a tab portion, and wherein the tab portion is attached to the insert.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible hinge portion is formed along its length, such that when the lid is placed on the base tray, the lid and base tray rear walls lie flush with one another.

20. A display box comprising:

a base tray having a rear wall;

a lid including a rear wall; and

a hinge element having a flexible hinge portion that extends from a lower inner edge of the lid rear wall to an inwardly facing surface of a rigid hinge portion, the rigid hinge portion lying within the base tray adjacent the base tray'"'"'s rear wall and the flexible hinge portion being shaped along its length such that it forms a dog leg across its width,

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the display box is closed the lid and base tray lie flush with respect to one another, and such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over and against an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the rigid hinge portion and the lid under the influence of the weight of the lid to limit the degree of opening of the lid and hold the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.

21. A method of making a display box, the method comprising:

forming a base tray from a blank, the base tray having a rear wall;

forming an integral lid and hinge element, the lid having a rear wall and the hinge element having a flexible portion that extends from an inner lower edge of the lid rear wall and a rigid portion that extends from the flexible portion;

shaping the flexible portion so as to take up a dog leg across its width; and

connecting the lid to the base tray through the hinge element such that the rigid portion is mounted within the base tray and lies adjacent the rear wall of the base tray;

the arrangement of the base tray, lid and hinge element being such that when the display box is closed the lid and base tray lie flush with respect to one another, and such that when the lid is hinged open, the flexible hinge portion extends over and against an upper end of the base tray rear wall and is pulled taut between the rigid hinge portion and the lid under the influence of the weight of the lid to limit the degree of opening of the lid and hold the lid in place, at an angle to the vertical.