COLLAPSIBLE FIBERBOARD BOX WITH CORRUGATED REINFORCED ENDWALLS

Abstract: A box (30) for packaging and/or transporting and/or storing products, in particular fruits and vegetables, comprises a foldable structure (18, 19, 20, 21) entirely made of solid-fiber board, said structure comprising a base or bottom (11), a pair of larger side walls (16, 17) and a pair of smaller side walls (12, 13), said structure being foldable from a completely open position to a flattened position and vice versa. The box further comprises a pair of reinforcing and supporting elements made of corrugated board (31, 40) externally joined to a pair of opposed side walls belonging to said structure. In this way the box can be easily stacked on other similar boxes.

Description: COLLAPSIBLE FIBERBOARD BOX WITH CORRUGATED REINFORCED ENDWALLS ******** TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a box suitable for packaging, transporting and storing a plurality of products, in particular fruits and vegetables, said box being solid, handy, firm, easy to be stacked, whereby said box may be easily assembled or folded in order to recycle or re-use it. The present invention is advantageously applied to the transport, storage and sale of fruits and vegetables . BACKGROUND ART Boxes wholly made of corrugated cardboard suitable for storing fruits and/or vegetables are well known in the art . A major drawback that is typical of boxes wholly made of corrugated cardboard is constituted by the difficulty in assemblying them, since they are normally delivered in a flattened state; large marketing companies of fruits and vegetables are often obliged to employ some personnel or automatic machines just to assemble the boxes before they are loaded. In the same way, once the known boxes made of corrugated cardboard are unloaded, can hardly be disassembled; actually, the disassemblying operation is necessary for storing the boxes in a flattened state of a reduced bulk, in order to allow them to be subsequently removed to be re- used, recycled or destroyed. However, it is almost impossible to fold these boxes on themselves, and further personnel and labour is then needed in order to dismantle them. In fact, it appear to be obvious that this kind of boxes cannot be stored in an assembled state owing to their relatively large dimensions. According to another known form of embodiment, the boxes, particularly the boxes for fruits and vegetables, are wholly made of solid-fiber cardboard, by means of which the box to be manufactured has a very strong and reliable base or bottom. Furthermore solid-fiber boxes can be easily folded or dismantled, and they require little volumes both before loading the products and after they have been unloaded. On the other hand, a solid-fiber box shows a different and undesirable problem, which is bound to the technical and structural characteristics of this material . As a matter of fact, a solid-fiber cardboard exhibits a resistance to shearing stress which is remarkably lower than the resistance of corrugated cardboard, what leads to several problems once the boxes are to be superimposed to each other while transporting or storing them, since the stack lacks sufficient stability and reliability. In order to solve this problem it has been proposed, for instance, to bend the peripheral edge of the box in order to strengthen it to bear the weight of other boxes stacked upon it. Besides, it has been proposed to apply some vertical reinforcing elements at the four corners of the box, in order to enhance its stackability, and to obtain a greater resistance once it is stacked, thus a greater resistance to shearing stress, as well as a larger manoeuvering room for allowing the boxes to be quickly and easily loaded by automatic machines suitable for performing this task. In spite of that, none of these solutions could bring a final remedy to the above mentioned problems : in fact, reinforced boxes are difficult to be assembled and folded, and they can hardly be dismantled in order to re-use, recycle or destroy them. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to set aside the inconveniences and drawbacks which are typical of the prior art, and to provide, therefore, for a box, advantageously a box for fruits and vegetables, that can easily be assembled through a very simple action performed by the operators who are loading the box, neither requiring further personnel, nor automatic assemblying machines. Furthermore, the invention aims to provide for a box having first means for allowing the boxes to be solidly stacked while transporting or storing them, as well as second means for allowing the boxes to be easily folded in order to substantially reduce their overall dimensions when they are empty, for a subsequent re-use or a recycling. This is obtained by a box having the features disclosed in claim 1. The dependent claims outline advantageous forms of embodiment of the invention. The box according to the invention is constituted by a structure that can be folded along pre-formed folding lines, entirely made of a solid-fiber cardboard, furthermore comprising a pair of approximately rectangularly-shaped elements made of corrugated cardboard, which are suitably placed astride of two opposed sides of said structure. Such box solves in a smart way the problems which are typical of the background art. In fact, it exploits the best technical characteristics of both solid-fiber cardboard and corrugated board, this resulting in a box exhibiting a remarkable rigidity in a vertical direction; therefore, it can easily and reliably be stacked upon other similar boxes. At the same time, it can be easily folded on itself until it is entirely flattened on its base, thereby occupying a volume that is a fraction in respect of the volume of an open and assembled box. According to the invention, an element made of corrugated cardboard is fixed to each smaller side wall of the solid-fiber structure; this is normally carried out by means of spot-glueing said element on the external portion of said side wall. Said element includes a pair of portions which are folded in order to be opposed to each other, whereby the side wall made of solid-fiber cardboard is preferably placed between the two portions of said element made of corrugated cardboard. According to the invention, each element made of corrugated board is provided, between said opposed portions, with a third portion which, in operation, forms a larger supporting base for a superposed box during the stacking operation. According to a further form of embodiment of the invention, the element made of corrugated board is provided, in its central portion, with a generally rectangular protuberance extending in a vertical direction beyond the edge of the side wall, in order to enhance the mutual alignment of the boxes once they are superposed to each other. According to a particularly advantageous form of embodiment, said protuberance can be inserted into a corresponding slot formed in the bottom of the box to be superposed. In this way, the whole stack becomes self- supporting and the side walls of each box do not run any risk to be folded outwardly by the weight of the superposed boxes. ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reading the followind description, of a form of embodiment of the invention, given as a non- limiting example, with the help of the figures shown in the attached drawings, in which: - figure 1 shows a foldable box known in the art, made of solid-fiber cardboard and in an open position; figure 2 shows the box of figure 1, while it is being folded upon its base; figure 3 shows a perspective partial view of a box according to the invention, in an open position; and figure 4 shows a perspective partial view of a box according to the invention as folded and flattened. DESCRIPTION OF A FORM OF EMBODIMENT In figure 1, reference sign 10 generally indicates a box made of solid-fiber cardboard for containing products, advantageously for containing fresh or dry fruit, or vegetables. Box 10 comprises a base 11, a pair of smaller opposed walls 12, 13, in which a pair of respective openings are formed for manually raising the box, as well as a pair of larger opposed walls 16, 17 on which respective preferential folding lines 18, 19, 20, 21 are formed. Figure 2 shows box 10 while it is being folded on its base or bottom 11, whereby this operation is carried out by folding the larger walls along preferential folding lines 18-21; box 10 is folded through movements that are performed along arrows A-F as shown in the figure. As explained above, this kind of box is not suitable for being stacked, since it is very unstable in the vertical direction. In figures 3 and 4 the respective elements of the box made of solid-fiber cardboard bear the same reference signs as the corresponding elements of figures 1 and 2. With particular reference to fig. 2, box 30 according to the invention comprises an element 31 made of corrugated board, which is in this case placed astride of either sides of smaller wall 12 of the solid- fiber cardboard structure. Said element 31 made of corrugated board is constituted by a first external portion 32 and by a second internal portion 33 that are joined by a third planar portion 34 forming a stable supporting surface for other similar boxes which are superimposed to box 30. Moreover, element 31 made of corrugated board comprises a protuberance 35, suitable for being inserted into a corresponding conjugated cavity 36 of a superimposed box in order to improve the vertical stability of the stack of boxes which is being formed. According to a particularly advantageous form of embodiment (not shown in the drawings), protuberance 35 is inserted into a corresponding slot provided in the bottom part of a superimposed box, thereby further improving the stability of the stack and greatly increasing the overall strength of said stack. Furthermore, element 31 comprises a pair of apertures 37, 38 which, in operation, are aligned to opening 14 for manually raising the lower box made of solid-fiber box. According to a particular form of embodiment of the invention, the elements made of corrugated board are applied to the smaller walls of the box simply by spot- glueing them on the external portion of a respective smaller wall. From the foregoing it can be derived that a such a box 30 is characterised by a remarkable rigidity an stability in the vertical direction; thus, it can easily be stacked. Furthermore, box 30 according to the invention can easily be folded on its base or bottom in order to substantially reduce its overall dimensions when it is empty. Referring now to fig. 4, portion 33 and portion 34 have been unfolded and they lay on the same plane as portion 32; following to this operation, the underlying box made of solid-fiber cardboard has been folded on its base or bottom as illustrated in fig. 2. Consequently, element 30 made of solid-fiber cardboard lays now flat, substantially parallel to base 11 and it is partially superimposed to identical element 40 that is joined to the smaller wall opposed to wall 12. Therefore, the box is entirely folded on the base, thereby occupying a very small volume and being perfectly suitable for being stacked in order to store, recycle or re-use it. From the preceding description it can be deduced that the box according to the present invention exhibits a series of important advantages in respect of the known solutions . Referring again to fig. 4, which shows the box in its flattened state, it may be noted that the box can immediately be assembled by an operator. In fact, in order to open the lower structure along the folding lines it is only necessary to raise the two superimposed edges of the elements made of corrugated board. Thereafter, the action of folding said elements inwardly causes the stiffening of the box, which is held in an open position, ready for being loaded with products . Thus, a flattened box can be assembled by an operator within few instants . Similarly, once a box has been unloaded of the products, it can very easily be closed and flattened: in this case the operator acts in reverse way, and he firstly grabs the edges of the elements made of corrugated board which are disposed inside of the box, raising them. This action causes the collapse of the structure made of solid-fiber cardboard along the preferential folding lines, and the two edges of the respective elements made of corrugated board are superimposed to each other. Then, the flattened box may immediately be removed for its subsequent storage, recycle or re-use. The invention has previously been described with reference to some particular forms of embodiment. However, it is clear that the invention is not limited to these forms of embodiment, and that it encompasses several variants, within the scope of mechanical equivalences .

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A box (30) for packaging and/or transporting and/or storing products, in particular fruits and vegetables, comprising a foldable structure (18, 19, 20, 21) entirely made of solid-fiber board, said structure comprising a base or bottom (11) , a pair of larger side walls (16, 17) and a pair of smaller side walls (12, 13), said structure being foldable from a completely open position to a flattened position and vice versa, characterised in that it comprises a pair of reinforcing and supporting elements made of corrugated board (31, 40) externally joined to a pair of opposed side walls belonging to said structure. 2. A box (30) according to claim 1, characterised in that each element made of corrugated board (31, 40) comprises a first portion (32) integral to the external portion of a side wall (12) , as well as a second portion (33) which is folded within the box in order to make it parallel to said first portion (32) . 3. A box (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that said first (32) and second (33) portions are joined to each other through a third, flat portion (34) which is substantially parallel to the base (11) of the box (30) and which acts as supporting plane for a superimposed box. 4. A box (30) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that each element (31) made of corrugated board has a protuberance (35) , in the open position of the box, which is suitable for cooperating with a conjugated cavity or slot (36) belonging to a superimposed box, in order to align the boxes in a vertical direction. 5. A box according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in a flattened position, the elements (31, 40) made of corrugated board (31, 40) are substantially parallel to the base (11) and are partially superimposed on one another.

Inventors: CAZZAROLLI LEONARDO, CAZZAROLLI, LEONARDO
Applicants: CAZZAROLLI LEONARDO, CAZZAROLLI S A S DI CAZZAROLLI, CAZZAROLLI S.A.S. DI CAZZAROLLI DR. LEONARDO & C., CAZZAROLLI, LEONARDO
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5