One-piece box with integrally connected lid

• US 8,424,749 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THATBox Design, LLC
• Original Assignee: THATBox Design, LLC
• Inventors: Costanzo, Donn J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELKINS, GARY E
• Application Number:
  US13/462,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20120234904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 229/125, 229/138, 229/140, 229/144, 229/145, 229/188, 206/736, 206/45.21, 206/45.23, 206/45.29, 403/13
• US Class Current: 229/144
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/0024 having all side walls attached to the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/0027 Making boxes from blanks consisting of side wall panels integral with a bottom panel and additional side wall panels
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/30 collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/302 collapsible into a flat condition
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/26 Folding sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/44 by plungers moving through folding dies
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/98 in stacks or bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/205 Means for the attachment of labels, cards, coupons or the like; cards or coupons for the other types of rigid or semi-rigid containers B65D25/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/20 by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides to form a container body, e.g. of tray-like form B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/241 and the gussets folds connected to the inside of the container body B65D5/247 and B65D5/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46112 either the handle elements being formed with lugs which engage with the other side walls or closure flaps, or the other closure flaps folding over a part of the handle to maintain the handle in position
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/563 Laminated linings; Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/386 formed of corrugated material

Abstract

A one-piece container includes a single sheet of corrugated material, including: four walls, a bottom, and a lid, the lid being hingedly and integrally connected to one of the four walls. The bottom and the four walls define a storage area for housing articles therein. The lid is configured to transition between an open position, an intermediate position, and a closed position. The one-piece container includes a mechanism for maintaining the lid in a closed position. In some embodiments, the mechanism biases the lid toward a closed position when in the closed position, an open position when in the open position, and an intermediate position when in the intermediate position. In other embodiments, the mechanism includes tabs and slots for retaining the lid in the closed position. Other embodiments include a combination of these features. The container may be a cardboard box.

Claims

1. A blank that is convertible, by folding, into a container comprising a single-piece box having an integrally connected lid, the blank comprising a single sheet of material, the single sheet of material comprising:

(a) a bottom section;

(b) four side wall sections including a first side wall section, a second side wall section, a third side wall section, and a fourth side wall section;

(c) four side wall attachment portions; and

(d) a lid section comprising,

(i) a top portion,

(ii) a left side portion having three lid fold lines,

(iii) a right side portion having three lid fold lines,

(iv) a front portion having two slots,

(v) a left side tab portion, and

(vi) a right side tab portion;

(e) wherein the three lid fold lines of the left side portion of the lid and the three lid fold lines of the right side portion of the lid are located such that, when the blank is folded and glued to form the container, the fold lines collectively bias the lid to maintain,

(i) a stable open position of the container when in such open position,

(ii) a stable intermediate position when in such intermediate position, and

(iii) a stable closed position when in such closed position; and

(f) wherein the bottom section, the four side wall sections, the four side wall attachment portions, and the lid portion are located such that, when the blank is folded and glued to form the container,

(i) each of the side wall sections extends generally perpendicular to the bottom section;

(ii) an outer surface of each of the four side wall attachment portions is attached to an inner surface of one of the first side wall section, the second side wall section, the third side wall section, and the fourth side wall section;

(iii) the left side portion, the right side portion, and the front portion extend generally perpendicular to the top portion;

(iv) the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion extend generally perpendicular to the left side portion and right side portion, respectively; and

(v) the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion extend into respective slots of the front portion.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the single sheet of material comprises a generally planar sheet of corrugated material.

3. The blank of claim 1, wherein the single sheet of material comprises cardboard.

4. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a decorative element on a surface of the blank.

5. The blank of claim 4, wherein the decorative element is adhered to a surface of the single sheet of material using adhesives.

6. The blank of claim 4, wherein the decorative element is printed directly on a surface of the single sheet of material.

7. A method of forming a container comprising a single-piece box having an integrally connected lid by folding a blank comprising a single sheet of material, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a single sheet of material comprising,

(i) a bottom section,

(ii) four side wall sections including a first side wall section, a second side wall section, a third side wall section, and a fourth side wall section,

(iii) four side wall attachment portions, and

(iv) a lid section comprising,

(A) a top portion,

(B) a left side portion having three lid fold lines,

(C) a right side portion having three lid fold lines,

(D) a front portion having two slots,

(E) a left side tab portion, and

(F) a right side tab portion;

(b) folding each of the side wall sections perpendicular to the bottom section;

(c) attaching an outer surface of each of the four side wall attachment portions to an inner surface of one of the first side wall section, the second side wall section, the third side wall section, and the fourth side wall section;

(d) folding the lid section such that the left side portion, the right side portion, and the front portion are folded downward and perpendicular to the top portion;

(e) folding the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion perpendicular to the left side portion and right side portion, respectively; and

(f) inserting the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion into respective slots of the front portion;

(g) the steps being performed such that the three lid fold lines of the left side portion of the lid and the three lid fold lines of the right side portion of the lid collectively bias the lid to maintain,

(i) a stable open position of the container when in such open position,

(ii) a stable intermediate position when in such intermediate position, and

(iii) a stable closed position when in such closed position.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of attaching the outer surfaces of the four side wall attachment portions is performed using an adhesive.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the single sheet of material comprises a generally planar sheet of corrugated material.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the single sheet of material comprises cardboard.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a decorative element is located on a surface of the blank.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adhering the decorative element to a surface of the single sheet of material using adhesives.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising printing the decorative element directly on a surface of the single sheet of material.

14. A container with an integrally connected lid formed by folding a single sheet of material, the single sheet of material comprising:

(a) a bottom section;

(b) four side wall sections including a first side wall section, a second side wall section, a third side wall section, and a fourth side wall section;

(c) four side wall attachment portions; and

(d) a lid section comprising,

(i) a top portion,

(ii) a left side portion having three lid fold lines,

(iii) a right side portion having three lid fold lines,

(iv) a front portion having two slots,

(v) a left side tab portion, and

(vi) a right side tab portion;

(e) wherein the three lid fold lines of the left side portion of the lid and the three lid fold lines of the right side portion of the lid are located such that the fold lines collectively bias the lid to maintain,

(i) a stable open position of the container when in such open position,

(ii) a stable intermediate position when in such intermediate position, and

(iii) a stable closed position when in such closed position;

(f) wherein each of the side wall sections extends generally perpendicular to the bottom section;

(g) wherein an outer surface of each of the four side wall attachment portions is attached to an inner surface of one of the first side wall section, the second side wall section, the third side wall section, and the fourth side wall section;

(h) wherein the left side portion, the right side portion, and the front portion extend generally perpendicular to the top portion;

(i) wherein the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion extend generally perpendicular to the left side portion and right side portion, respectively; and

(j) wherein the left side tab portion and the right side tab portion extend into respective slots of the front portion.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the outer surfaces of the four side wall attachment portions are attached with an adhesive.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the single sheet of material comprises cardboard.

17. The container claim 16, further comprising a decorative element applied to an exterior surface of the single sheet of material.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein the decorative element is adhered to a surface of the single sheet of material using adhesives.

19. The container of claim 17, wherein the decorative element is printed directly on a surface of the single sheet of material.