Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – With closure for an access opening
Patent
1993-09-24
1995-05-09
Elkins, Gary E.
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
With closure for an access opening
229138, 229143, 229149, B65D 508, B65D 5478, B65D 510
Patent
active
054132738
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to merchandise containers and is applicable to both pre-packed containers and to containers intended to receive goods at "point of sale".
This invention provides a merchandise container formed from folded flexible sheet material to provide a box form having side/end walls and a top closure, in which the top closure comprises integral flaps on the side/end walls which fold with respect to each other and the walls, the end walls being pre-formed to bow inwardly such that when the side wall flaps are folded in overlapping relation to form the top closure, the end wall flaps form outwardly extending triangular wings which fold downwardly against an increasing resistance until a certain downwardly inclined angle below the horizontal is reached when the end walls bow inwardly allowing the side walls to converge to relieve the resistance and create a force tending to bias the wings are then biassed downwardly into engagement with the end walls to hold the wings against the end walls and the side wall flaps of the top closure in the closed condition.
Preferably the end walls of the container have crease lines to allow the walls to adopt an inwardly bowed concave formation as the wings are folded through said downwardly inclined angle thereby drawing the side walls of the upper part of the container towards one another and biassing said wing portions towards the side walls.
More specifically the end walls of the container may have central crease lines extending downwardly from the upper edges of the flaps to facilitate an initial pre-bowing inwardly of the end walls prior to the forming and downward folding of said wing portions.
It is preferred that said central crease lines extend to the bottoms of the end walls.
It is also preferred that said central crease lines are perforated at least through the top flaps of the end walls. More specifically the central crease lines may be perforated at least part-way down the end walls.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention the end walls of the container may have further crease lines extending from the lower corners thereof upwardly and inwardly to meet said central crease lines at an apex. For example said further crease lines extend at 45.degree. to the bottom edges of the end walls.
The central crease lines may be perforated down to said apex with the further crease lines. Alternatively the central crease lines may be perforated down to a location above the apex with said further crease lines.
In any of the above arrangements cut/score lines may be formed between the top flaps and end walls to weaken substantially the resistance to folding of the top flaps.
Also, in any of the above arrangements the end wall flaps may be each formed with a triangle of pre-creased fold lines to facilitate formation of said triangular shaped wing portions when the side wall flaps are folded together.
In accordance with a further preferred feature, notches may be cut at the corners between the uppermost side wall flap and adjacent end wall flap thereby to facilitate sliding of the upper side wall flap over the lower side wall flap and to facilitate movement of the sides of the container towards each other as the end walls of the container bow inwardly when the wing portions are folded downwardly.
The flap portions may have integral tongues which project above the edges of the adjacent wing portions prior to folding of the flaps/wings, the tongues overlapping one another when the flaps are folded downwardly and inwardly to create the top closure of the container.
In any of the above arrangements the sheet material of the container may be a stiff paper, card or plastic sheet.
The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box form carrier bag having a top closure in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the bag with the top closure in the fully open condition;
FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 2, wit
REFERENCES:
patent: 667634 (1901-02-01), Schmidt
patent: 2329797 (1943-09-01), Strack
patent: 2439435 (1948-04-01), Richardson et al.
patent: 3526352 (1970-09-01), Swett
patent: 3750932 (1973-08-01), Ellison
patent: 4535928 (1985-08-01), Capo
patent: 4784497 (1988-11-01), Dutton
patent: 4969596 (1990-11-01), Schulbaum
Elkins Gary E.
M-Pak Limited
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