COLLAPSIBLE TRANSPORT BOX

Abstract: A collapsible transport box which is formed from an essentially planar material blank (1) comprising a bottom (2) and sidewalls (3, 4, 5, 6) and including a lid (13) as appropriate wherein the sidewalls are hinged or otherwise attached to the bottom so as to be foldable relative to the bottom. The walls are joined at the box corners by means of a releasable connection which comprises a vertical slot or hole (8) in one, the first, sidewall (6) and an outward extending fastening tongue (9) in the other, second, sidewall's (5) end edge. Said fastening tongue (9) extends through the slot (8) and is bent sideways so that its external section extends over an external region of the first sidewall (5).

Description: Collapsible transport box The present invention relates to a collapsible box formed from a generally planar material comprising a bottom and sidewalls and including a lid if desired wherein the sidewalls 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 a releasable connection. Known in the art are collapsible boxes of the type aforesaid. One example is given in DE Patent application No. 3,444,477 of a box having a shape amenable to a tongue and groove design in which the end edge of one side extends into a groove on the opposite side of each of the box's 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 will be 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 sidewall to grooves in the other sidewall. 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. The present invention discloses a collapsible transport box of the type already mentioned in which the connection between the sides at the box's corners are of simple design and simultaneously cheap to produce. Further the invention discloses a design which is mechanically strong and which cannot be released by unfortunate handling of the box. The invention is characterised in that the joint between the sidewalls at each of the box's corners comprises a vertical slot or opening which is provided in the first sidewall, and an extended fastening tongue in the other sidewall's end edge which extends through the slot and is bent sideways so as to extend outward along an external part of the first sidewall. The independent claims 2-5 define advantageous features of the present invention. The invention will now be described in more detail by means of examples and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a material blank which the box according to the invention is formed from; Figure 2 shows a box formed from the material blank shown in figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows in larger scale a horizontal section through a corner of the box shown in figure 2 (along line A-A); Figure 4 shows in larger scale a corner of the box shown in figure 2 seen in partial side and top view. As already mentioned figure 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 the applicant's own Norwegian patent no. 162335, though it can also be of single-wall design and be made of basically any suitable material. Figure 2 depicts a box formed from the material blank of figure 1. The walls at the box corners are joined by means of releasable connections 7. These will be described in further detail with reference to figures 3 and 4. As will be understood from these two figures, one of the sidewalls 6 is provided with a vertical slot or opening 8 while the other sidewall 5 at its end is provided with an outwardly extending fastening tongue 9. The fastening tongue 9 extends through the slot 8 and is bent sideways so as to extend over an external part of the other sidewall 6. The end edge 10 of the sidewall 5 is of bevelled shape and rests against a complementary, bevelled part of the opposite sidewall 6. A locking wedge 11 retains the fastening tongue 9 in the slot 8. The locking wedge is "hinged" to the opening 8 via a thin material connection in the region 12 as indicated in figures 3 and 4 and is kept in its locking position as shown in Fig. 3 by means of a small vertical groove or elevated parties on the tongue 9 opposite the end of the wedge (not further shown). The wedge 11 is used to prevent slack from developing in the corner connection and to avoid the fastening tongue from being withdrawn from the slot. This is particularly useful when the box is empty. As soon as payload is filled in the box and the sides are pressed outward the fastening tongue will be forced against the edge of the slot and will be self-locking. As is apparent from figure 4 the box may preferably be provided with a lid 13. The lid may be hinged to one of the sidewalls or be attached releasable. The lid is provided with a downward edge 14 which extends outside an upward edge 15 on the box. Thus one achieves a strength enhancement of the box when the lid is in place since the sidewalls are held in place within the edge of the lid. The present invention has disclosed a simple, collapsible box which is cheap to manufacture and simple to use and which, depending on the material from which it is made, can be used many times. It should be emphasized that the term "box" is not limited to containers for transport purposes. Thus, the invention as defined in the claims may be applied on any construction having a bottom or back with sides or side walls, for instance a bookshelf. In the case of a bookshelf, the shelfs as such may be connected to the side walls by means of the same tongue and slot principle as defined in the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS A collapsible box formed by a generally planar material blank (1 ) comprising a bottom (2) and sidewalls (3, 4, 5, 6) and including a lid (13) if appropriate wherein the sidewalls are hinged or otherwise connected to the bottom thereby being foldable or releasable relative to the bottom and wherein the walls at the box corners are joined by means of a releasable connection, characterized in that the connection at each of the box corners comprises a vertical slot or hole (8) in one, the first, sidewall (6) and an extending fastening tongue (9) in the other, second, sidewall's (5) end edge, which tongue extends through the slot (8) and is bent sideways so that its external part extends across an external region of the first sidewall (5). Collapsible box as disclosed in claim 1 , characterized in that in the slot (8) there is provided a locking wedge (11) which presses the fastening tongue (8) against the edge of the slot. Collapsible box as disclosed in claim 2, characterized in that the locking wedge (11) is removably attached. Collapsible box as disclosed in claim 2, characterized in that the locking wedge (11) is hinged to the slot (8) via a thin material section and can be turned sideways while inserting the fastening tongue into the slot (8). Collapsible box as disclosed in claims 1 -4, in which the box is provided with a •id (13), characterised in that the lid is provided with a downward extending part (14) which extends outside an upward extending part (15) of the box's sidewalls.

Inventors: GROENNEVIK ODDBJOERN, GROENNEVIK, ODDBJOERN
Applicants: NORSK HYDRO AS, NORSK HYDRO A.S.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65D6
IPC codes: B65D1, B65D6