Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – With closure for an access opening
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-06
2001-09-18
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
With closure for an access opening
C040S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290126
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to closure of cardboard boxes that are commonly used in industry, in packaging of goods for consumers, and generally in commerce. Cardboard boxes are generally sealed with tape at the flaps to form the bottom and the top of the box. Once the box is opened by cutting or ripping of the tape, the box cannot be easily and quickly reclosed for other use or storage of the contents of the box which is partially consumed.
2. The Prior Art
The prior art utilizes tapes, sticky binders and the like to hold the box flaps together. Tape is used on initial assembly, and later upon resealing of the box. Usually, when the box is reclosed after opening, the flaps are merely bent down in an overlapping fashion to interlink with each other in a crisscross fashion.
When a box is reused, such as for storage by consumers, the box top may also be resealed with any handy tape, string or the like. If it is necessary to utilize a label on the box, the usual procedure is to mark the box with a separate stick on label, or just to write on the box information about its contents.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A box closure for holding opposing flaps of a cardboard box top in a substantially closed position is designed for a box having at least two opposing flaps. The box closure has a first holding member which extends below at least two opposing flaps of the box when the closure is in a closing position, a second holding member which extends over the at least two flaps when the closure is in a closing position, and a means for connecting the first holding member and the second holding member which passes through a space between the opposing flaps of the box. The first holding member, the second holding member, and the means for connecting are an integral unit constructed separately from the box and the box and box closure are assembled only when the box is closed using the box closure. The box closure is formed from a single sheet of plastic or like material and folded and to form its final shape. The closure may also include a means for holding a label which can be a transparent member which extends over an upper surface of the second holding member. The means for connecting may be resilient and pull the first holding member towards the second holding member to accommodate flaps having different thicknesses. The first holding member may extend a greater distance towards the box folds where the flaps join sides of the box, and the first holding member may extend a greater distance than the second holding member in a direction parallel to folds at a point where the adjacent flaps join sides of the box. The means for connecting the first holding member and the second holding member may extend at an angle from a leading edge of the first holding means to a leading edge of the second holding member To facilitate insertion into a slot formed by opposing flaps. The means for holding the label may comprise an oval-shaped box closure top having a center which is open to receive a label for identification of the box or the box contents. The first holding member, the second holding member, the means for connecting the first and second holding members and the means for holding the label may all be preferably formed together from a single sheet of plastic. The plastic is formed into lengths which are equal to or less than a dimension across the box along edges of opposing flaps. The first holding member may be flat on its bottom surface for preventing interference upon insertion by a box flap lying under the two flaps and which is transverse to the opposing flaps. The first holding member may have edges which are curved towards the second holding member for gripping the two opposing flaps. The second holding member may have edges which are curved towards the first holding member for gripping the two opposing flaps or both the first and second members may have edges which extend towards each other.
The box closure is manufactured as a single folded plastic piece, and at least the top portion thereof must be of a clear plastic where it is necessary to view a label through the plastic. Where it is desired to have a tapered leading edge
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, the material can be cut at an angle during production or preformed prior to folding into a final shape. The length of the closure may be any length required for holding flaps of boxes down. Generally, larger boxes would include a longer length because of a need for holding additional length in the flaps.
REFERENCES:
patent: 933454 (1909-09-01), Hudson
patent: 1076897 (1913-10-01), Lettre
patent: 2645408 (1953-07-01), Eckles
patent: 3189250 (1965-06-01), Haygeman
patent: 3276663 (1966-10-01), Falconer
patent: 3545801 (1970-12-01), Barsness
patent: 4206869 (1980-06-01), Gurevitz
patent: 2458725 (1975-06-01), None
Elkins Gary E.
Snider Ronald R.
Snider & Associates
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