Receptacles – Sectional – Folding
Patent
1992-09-29
1994-07-19
Pollard, Steven M.
Receptacles
Sectional
Folding
220 62, 229195, B65D 700
Patent
active
053300670
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a collapsible box formed from a generally planar material comprising a bottom and side walls and including a lid if desired, wherein the side walls are hinged or otherwise connected to the bottom such that they can be folded relative to the bottom, and wherein the corners of the box are joined by means of releasable connections.
Known in the art are collapsible boxes of this general type. One example is disclosed in DE Patent Application No. 3,444,477 of a box having a shape amenable to a tongue and groove design in which an end edge of one side extends into a groove on the opposite side of each of the box corners. The end edge is retained in the groove by the action of projections which correspond to depressions in the groove. This design is mechanically weak and will not survive serious impacts. Furthermore, it is difficult to assemble since the projections must be pressed past the "opening" in the groove.
DE Patent Application No. 3,046,954 shows another collapsible transport box in which the corner connection includes hook-shaped latches which extend from the end edge of one side wall into grooves in the other side wall. This design is also mechanically weak, since the latch hooks will yield to loads and will be pulled out of the grooves. Also, the latches are in an exposed position and can be released from the grooves by inept handling of the box.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a collapsible transport box of the above type, but wherein the connections between the sides at the corners of the box are of a simple design and also inexpensive to produce. Further, the connection of the invention is mechanically strong and cannot be released by unfortunate handling of the box.
The invention is characterized in that the joint between the side walls at each of the corners of the box comprises a vertical slot or opening which is provided in a first side wall, and an extended fastening tongue at an end edge of the other side wall and which extends through the slot and is bent sideways so as to extend outwardly along an external part of the first side wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail by means of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a material blank from which a box according to the invention is formed;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a box formed from the material blank shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, through a corner of the box shown in FIG. 2, taken along line 3--3; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a corner of the box shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 depicts a material blank 1 from which the box according to the invention is fabricated. The blank comprises a bottom section 2 and four side sections 3-6 which are hinged or otherwise joined to the bottom section 2. The material blank can if appropriate be fabricated from a double-walled hollow body of thermoplastic material as further described and shown in Norwegian Patent No. 162,335, though it can also be a single-wall design and be made of basically any suitable material.
FIG. 2 depicts a box formed from the material bank of FIG. 1. The walls at the box corners are joined by means of releasable connections 7, described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
As will be understood from FIGS. 3 and 4, one of the side walls 6 is provided with a vertical slot or opening 8 while the other side wall 5 at its end is provided with an outwardly extending fastening tongue 9. The fastening tongue 9 extends through the slot 8, from inwardly of the box to outwardly thereof, and is bent sideways so as to extend over an external part of the other side wall 6. An end edge 10 of the side wall 5 is of bevelled shape and rests against a complementary, bevelled part of the opposite side wall 6. A locking wedge 11 retains the fastening tongue 9 in the slot 8. The locking w
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Norsk Hydro a.s.
Pollard Steven M.
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