Abstract:
The invention concerns a generally parallelepiped corrugated box for packaging and transporting objects, the box comprising a lid formed by a lateral can-band carton including a front wall, a rear wall, and side walls and a top, and a tray forming a base including a central panel comprising four main sides each respectively provided with a first flap. The front and rear flaps are U-shaped and define each with the top a central recess enabling an object in the box to be gripped manually by a user from the side and/or from above. One or several partly precut portions and/or one or several bonding points enable the walls of the lid to be detached from the first flaps of the tray by manual separation resulting from a force applied perpendicularly to the walls.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a box of generally parallelepipedal form, made of corrugated cardboard sheet, for packaging and transporting objects, said box comprising a lid formed by a lateral band comprising a front wall, a rear wall, side walls and a top, and a tray forming a base comprising a central panel with four main sides, each respectively provided with a first flap. 
     The invention also relates to a set of blanks for forming such a box. 
     The present invention is particularly importantly, although non-exclusively, applicable in the field of boxes used to display goods directly on a pallet in superstores and in this way avoid additional intermediate handling and storage costs. 
     In particular, this type of packaging allows easy and convenient access to the products for the consumer regardless of the position of the box, at least on the two accessible front and rear faces of the pallet. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Devices are already known that allow direct access to products inside packages arranged on a pallet. 
     Such devices are not satisfactory. In practice, they normally require a part of the walls to be torn to make the products accessible. Furthermore, in the case of open-work trays, the latter do not have any great solidity, so that it is not possible to have heavy products stored on pallets and/or on a large number of levels. 
     The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     To this end, it essentially proposes a box of generally parallelepipedal form, made of corrugated cardboard sheet, for packaging and transporting objects, said box comprising a lid formed by a lateral band comprising a front wall, a rear wall, side walls and a top, and a tray forming a base comprising a central panel with four main sides, each respectively provided with a first flap, characterized in that 
     the front and rear walls are U-shaped and each define with the top a central opening specifically to enable a user to manually grasp an object inside the box from the side and/or from the top, 
     in that two first flaps facing said tray comprise a tab at each of their lateral ends, respectively fixed to the first adjacent flap to form said tray, 
     and in that at least one of the front, rear or side walls of the lid is only fixed to a first corresponding side flap of the tray, by one or more partially pre-cut portions and/or one or more gluing points enabling separation between walls of the lid and first flaps of the tray by manual separation obtained by exerting a force perpendicularly to the walls. 
     Such a box allows for the use of cardboard of different grades between the band of side walls and the base. For example, the base can be made of cardboard that is less strong than the walls which have to withstand compression, the base only having to withstand buckling. 
     With the invention, it will be possible to have access to the goods on the two main faces of the box, to take the products at the front or the back of the pallet. Furthermore, it allows for combined use with or without the display-pack function on a tray separated from its lid. 
     The consumer can then help himself from all levels of the pallet, either from the trays or through the open-work faces. 
     With the invention, the products are therefore instantaneously and directly available on the pallet itself, the only operation required to install the assembly being to remove the plastic film used during transportation around the packaging, then, if necessary and as and when required, to remove the lids by simple lateral separation to separate lid and tray. 
     The packaging according to the invention is perfectly stackable, and this with a good compression resistance. The lid of the box is easily detachable, which allows for the display-pack function either on the pallet itself or on a linear shelf. 
     In advantageous embodiments, use can be made of one and/or other of the following arrangements:
         the front and rear walls comprise a horizontal stiffening bar located in the middle or roughly in the middle of the corresponding opening, advantageously tearable;   said partially pre-cut portions or gluing points are at least two in number, respectively located on either side on the side walls of the box;   the front, rear and side walls are separated from each other by intermediate walls to form an eight-sided box, with cut corners;   the lid is nested inside the tray;   the partially pre-cut portion or portions belong to the tray;   the partially pre-cut portion or portions are pre-cut along an open line;   the partially pre-cut portion or portions are cut along a closed line;   the lid comprises at least four panels forming the walls, respectively linked to each other by parallel fold lines and an end gluing tab, and in that the top of the box comprises two second opposing flaps with free platform-configuration longitudinal edge, with U-shaped open-work, of which the ends of the branches are linked to the ends of the branches of the U of the corresponding front and rear walls;   the second open-work flaps comprise, at their lateral end, counter-pressure overhangs;   the second flaps comprise, at their lateral end, second tabs glued to the facing side wall;   the top of the box also comprises third flaps linked to the top edge of the side walls, glued to the second flaps to form said top;   the lid comprises three panels, namely a central rectangular panel forming the top face of the lid of the box linked laterally by fold lines to two side panels forming at least partly the front and rear walls of the box, said side panels and/or said central panel being provided on either side with four flaps specifically for forming at least partially said side walls;   each side wall comprises a handle;   the box also comprises two individual internal reinforcing side panels, specifically for cooperating in contact with the internal face of the side walls and for reinforcing the vertical resistance of said box.       

     The invention also proposes a set of blanks for forming a box for packaging and transporting objects, comprising at least two corrugated cardboard blanks, namely a first blank specifically for forming the lid of the box, comprising a series of at least four main flaps, namely a front flap, a rear flap and two side flaps, terminated by a fixing tab and linked to each other by first fold lines parallel to each other, said series of flaps forming the external walls of the box and being linked on one side to a series of flaps by second fold lines perpendicular to said first fold lines, said series of flaps being specifically for forming at least partially the top of the box and comprising two second opposing platform-configuration flaps, each linked to the top edge of a corresponding side flap, and a second blank forming the base of said box in the form of a tray, comprising a central panel provided with first flaps on its sides, characterized in that the front and rear flaps are U-shaped and each define with the top a central opening specifically to enable a user to manually grasp an object inside the box from the side and/or from the top, 
     in that two first flaps facing said second blank comprise a tab at each of their lateral ends, respectively intended to be fixed to the first adjacent flap to form said tray, and in that at least one of the front, rear or side walls of the lid is arranged to be only fixed to a first corresponding side flap of the tray, by one or more partially pre-cut portions and/or one or more gluing points enabling separation between walls of the lid and first flaps of the tray by manual separation obtained by exerting a force perpendicularly to the walls. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the front and rear panels comprise a central stiffening bar, for example tearable, located in the middle or roughly in the middle of the corresponding opening. 
     Advantageously, said partially pre-cut portions are at least two in number, respectively located on either side on the side walls of the box. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the first flaps of the second blank are arranged to be fixed to said first blank by winding around a volume of determined dimensions on forming the box, before they are finally joined. 
     Advantageously, the first blank has eight flaps, namely four main flaps separated from each other by intermediate flaps specifically for forming cut corners of the box. 
     The invention also proposes a method for producing a packaging box of polygonal section from at least two blanks of uncorrugated or corrugated cardboard sheet material, namely a first blank comprising a series of at least four main flaps terminated by a fixing tab, linked to each other by first fold lines parallel to each other, said series of flaps forming the external walls of the box and being linked on one side to a series of flaps by second fold lines perpendicular to said first fold lines, said series of flaps forming the top of said box, and a second blank comprising at least two panels linked to each other by a third fold line, namely a first panel and one or more second panels, said second blank forming the base in the form of a bottom tray for said box, characterized in that 
     the box is formed by winding the blanks around a determined volume, two reinforcing sheets are placed flat on a mandrel that is then inserted into the package to be fabricated to then leave them as reinforcement inside said box by removing said mandrel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from reading the following description of embodiments given below by way of non-limiting examples. 
       The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a box according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a set of blanks enabling the box of  FIG. 1  to be obtained. 
         FIG. 3  is another embodiment, in top view, of a set of blanks according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a third embodiment of a set of blanks according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the box obtained with the set of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a set according to the invention with eight sides. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a box obtained with the set of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are respectively a plan view of a set of blanks, and a perspective view of the formed box corresponding to a fifth embodiment according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are on the one hand a top plan view of a set and on the other hand a perspective view of the formed box, corresponding to a sixth embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of a seventh embodiment of a set of blanks according to the invention. 
         FIG. 13  shows the steps in forming a box with reinforcement by using a mandrel according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a pallet of boxes according to the embodiment of the invention more particularly described here. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a parallelepipedal box  1 , for example made of double-sided corrugated cardboard sheet 3 mm thick for packaging objects (not shown), for example comprising heavy objects such as bottles of household products or canned food. 
     The box  1  comprises a lateral band  2  of flaps, namely a front flap  3 , U-shaped, a rear flap  4 , also U-shaped, and two side flaps  5  and  6  that are equal, rectangular, linked to each other by parallel fold lines  7 . 
     It also comprises a base  8  formed by a central panel  9  provided on each of its sides with first rectangular or roughly rectangular flaps  10 , including two opposing flaps provided with tabs  10 ′ glued to the external edge of the adjacent flaps to form a rigid tray. 
     The tray-forming base is joined to the bottom part of the lid-forming lateral band on either side by a partially pre-cut portion P that is open, and/or by gluing points C shown by broken lines in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     This pre-cut part, which alone is glued to the adjacent wall, is therefore easily separable from the lid. 
     The box comprises a top  11  with two second opposing flaps  12  and  13  forming platforms with openings towards the fold line each provided on their peripheral lateral edges with an overhang or protuberance  14 ,  15 , which will enable the necessary counter-pressure to be exerted to glue said second flaps to the external face of the third flaps. 
     The top of the box  1  in effect also comprises two third flaps  16 ,  17  that are roughly T-shaped, the base of which is linked by a fold line  18  to the corresponding side face  5 ,  6  and which comprises openings  19  on its lateral ends away from the fold line, of rounded shape, on the one hand to enable the second flaps to be folded back on forming the box, and on the other hand to enable the open-work part  20  of the second reversed U-shaped flaps to remain free, the third flaps  16 ,  17  moreover being glued to the bottom face of the first flaps. 
     The third flaps  16 ,  17  have a width less than half the width of the side flaps. 
     The top of the box is open-work over a part so that it thus comprises two openings  21 , a part with the open-work parts  22  of the U of the front  3  and rear  4  flaps, enabling a user to easily grasp by hand, directly inside the box, the structure of which nevertheless allows for the whole to be held rigid. 
       FIG. 2  shows the set  2 ,  8  of blanks used to create the box  1  of  FIG. 1 . For simplicity in the description hereinbelow, the same reference numbers are used to denote the same elements or similar elements. The lateral band  2  is terminated with a rectangular gluing tab  7 ′ linked to an adjacent side flap  7  by a fold line parallel to those linking the other flaps of the series. 
       FIG. 3  shows a variant  23  of the lateral band of flaps compared to that of  FIG. 2 , with openings  24  located on the fold line  18 , of shapes complementary to the stubs  14 ,  15 , specifically for cooperating with said stubs by snap-fitting. 
     Horizontal stiffening cardboard strips  25  are here provided in the U-shaped openings, for example at two-thirds or three-quarters of the height of the flap, delimiting a top part  26  of the opening straddling the join line between the front or rear flaps and second flaps  12  and  13  and a bottom part  27  of the opening. 
     Gluing the third flaps  16 ,  17  to the second flaps  12 , makes it possible to stiffen the assembly and prevent the side faces from twisting. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show another embodiment of a set  28  according to the invention, in which the second flaps  29 , of a shape overall identical to the second flaps  12 ,  13 , are prolonged on each side on their lateral edges, with tabs  30 , that can be folded towards the adjacent side face  5 ,  6 . 
     More specifically, these tabs are provided to be return-glued onto the external face of the side flap, making it possible to secure the platforms which will here enable the boxes to be stacked and further enhance their resistance on pallets after partial emptying of the objects. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are front and perspective views of an eight-sided box  31 . 
       FIG. 6  shows, laid flat, a first blank  32  of sheet material for making an eight-sided embodiment of the invention and a second blank  33  for forming the base tray of the box shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     More specifically, the blank  32  comprises a series of eight aligned rectangular flaps  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 ,  38 ,  40 ,  41 , linked in pairs by preformed, parallel fold lines  42 . 
     Along the free edge of the extreme flap  41  of the series of flaps there is a tab  43  linked to the extreme flaps by a fold line parallel to the abovementioned fold lines  42 . 
     Moreover, on one side of the series of flaps, first flaps  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47  are provided. 
     Each first flap is hinged to the corresponding main flap by a preformed fold line  48 . 
     These fold lines are aligned or roughly aligned and perpendicular to the fold lines  42 . 
     The rectangular flaps are all of the same height or roughly the same height. 
     They comprise, on the one hand, the flaps  37  and  41  intended to form the side walls of the rectangular box, identical to each other, and provided with a handle  49 , and the flaps  35  and  39  intended to form the front and rear walls provided with an open-work part  50  straddling the corresponding fold line  48  between said wall and the adjacent flaps  44  and  46 , themselves open towards said fold line and intended to form in part the top of the box, and, on the other hand, the intermediate flaps  34 ,  36 ,  38  and  40  specifically for forming the cut corners of the lid. 
     This blank is intended to form, by winding, and after joining the flaps, the box of  FIG. 7 . 
     The second blank  33  comprises an octagonal base  51  provided on each of its main sides  52  corresponding to the side and front and rear faces with third paired opposing rectangular flaps  53  and  54 , namely two small flaps  53  without lateral tabs, and two larger flaps  54  terminated on either side by first tabs  55 , themselves linked to second tabs  56  to mate, when the bottom tray is formed around the bottom part  57  of the second blank (folded on itself to form the lid of the box  31 ), the cut corners of said tray, the last end tabs  56  being glued to the small adjacent rectangular flaps  53  corresponding to the other two facing sides of the second blank. 
     The first flaps are generally rectangular, like the flaps  12 ,  13  and  16 ,  17  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , but also comprise parts  58  slanting towards the outside at their lateral end, on either side, over at least a part, and from fold lines  48  joining with the flaps. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , there are also provided tabs or horizontal reinforcing strips  59 , tearable, in the corresponding openings  50 , in the main side faces. 
     Similarly, as for the blanks of  FIG. 3 , lateral stubs are provided for snap-fitting in corresponding openings  61  located on the fold lines for connection with the flaps. 
     According to the invention, provision is also made for joining between the tray and the bottom part of the lid using two spots of glue  62  on at least one of the faces and advantageously on two of the side faces of the package and/or a pre-cut portion  63 , for example closed on the flaps  53 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show another embodiment of a set of blanks  64  and a box  65  according to the invention with eight sides. 
     Here, the embodiment of the first flaps is similar to that of the first flaps  29  with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , taking into account, of course, the intermediate flaps forming cut corners as described this time with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     Lateral tabs  67  are therefore provided and glued (cf.  FIG. 9 ) to the side walls  68  to stiffen the whole. 
       FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12  show another embodiment of a set  70 ,  71  of blanks and a box  72  according to the invention, this time comprising a lid or first blank  73 ,  74  comprising three panels. 
     More specifically, a rectangular or roughly rectangular central panel  75  is provided, forming the top face of the lid, linked laterally by fold lines  76  to two side panels  77 ,  78  forming at least partly the front and rear walls of the box, symmetrical relative to the central panel, U-shaped with the bar towards the base of the box, and each respectively provided with a large roughly rectangular opening  79 , occupying roughly two-thirds or four-fifths or five-sixths of the area of the panel, partly straddling the fold lines  76 , allowing access to the product once the box is formed in accordance with  FIG. 11 . 
     The side panels  77 ,  78  and the central panel  75  are provided on each side with four flaps specifically for forming at least partially the side walls, said four flaps being roughly rectangular or trapezoidal. 
     More specifically with reference to  FIG. 10 , the blank  73  comprises two sets of rectangular or roughly rectangular side flaps  80 ,  81 ,  82 , of the same height, namely a central flap  81  with a handle  84  with opening and two symmetrical flaps  80  and  82  relative to the flap  81 , each provided with a notch  85 , covering the handle. 
     The second blank is identical or similar to the blank of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of a blank with three panels, namely a central panel  75  similar to the central panel described with reference to  FIG. 10  and two side panels  77  and  78 , also identical to the side panels described with reference to  FIG. 10 , but this time each provided on each side with side flaps in three parts, namely a first flap  86  directly connected by a single fold line  87  to the corresponding side panels  77 ,  78 , a second flap  88  connected to the first flap by a double fold line  89  and a third tab-forming flap  90  connected to the second flap via a last fold line  91  parallel to the first two. 
       FIG. 13  shows how a box  92  with reinforcements can be formed according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The box is of the type of that described with reference to  FIG. 1  and obtained by cladding a first mandrel (not shown) simultaneously with the first and the second blanks. 
     Firstly (step A), a mandrel  93  of octagonal section with cut corners is offered up, on which there are placed flat (step B), on either side, two panels  94 , comprising a central face  95  and two lateral cut corners  96 , on the faces  97  of the octagonal mandrel. 
     The latter, with the panels placed flat on it, is then lowered (step C) inside  98  the parallelepipedal box  1  until it stops at the bottom (step D). 
     Then, the mandrel is shrunk widthwise in a manner known per se and retracted upwards (step E) so as to obtain in the step F the box  92  with reinforcements  94  inside. 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a pallet  98  of boxes  99  according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1  provided with products  100 , stacked evenly. 
     As can be seen, it is possible to remove the products  100  from the bottom part  101 , while retaining full boxes in the top part  102 . 
     For example, certain objects have been extracted from the boxes  99 ′,  99 ″,  99 ′″, without in any way destabilizing the pallet which remains solid and agreeable to look at for the consumers. 
     Thus, it is possible with the invention to assemble a complete pallet of objects or products, to ship them directly to the store and to display the objects or products as delivered to the consumer, without any handling on the packages, that is, without tearing sides, without using cutters or opening flaps. 
     Formation, filling and closure can easily be mechanized, while allowing for the use of lightweight and recycled papers favoring a rigid structure since, as already specified, because of the two-part package, it is possible to use two types of cardboard, one to withstand compression, the other to withstand buckling of the base. 
     Obviously, and as a result of the foregoing, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments more particularly described. On the contrary, it encompasses all the variants and in particular those in which the set of blanks comprises three blanks, to form respectively the base, the top of the lid and the side walls of said lid.