Container and blank for forming the base thereof

Abstract: The present invention relates to a container provided with a base, which container can be brought from an unfolded erected into a folded flat state and vice versa, characterised in that the base comprises two substantially polygonal panels (1,2), wherein each panel is provided with a main fold line starting at or near the junction of two bottom edges of the container to which the said panel is connected and extending to the opposite free edge of said panel, such that the main fold line allows the base panel to be folded in two when the container they connect to itself folds flat.

Description: The present invention relates to a container provided with a base, which container can be brought from an unfolded erected into a folded flat state and vice versa, the base comprising two substantially polygonal panels, wherein each panel is provided with a main fold line starting at or near the junction of two bottom edges of the container to which the said panel is connected and extending to the opposite free edge of said panel, and wherein the two panels have interlocking means at their free edges, said interlocking means interlock the panels in the unfolded erected state of the container. Furthermore, the invention relates to a blank for forming the base of a container according to the preamble of claim 8. A container which can be brought from an unfolded erected into a folded flat state, and vice versa, is for example known from GB-A-150 495 which serves as basis for the preamble of claims 1 and 8. The bottom of this container is formed from two separate base parts which are to be attached to the bottom edges of the container. To interlock the base parts, the one base part is provided with a piece of string and a button and the other base part is provided with a hole. The base parts of the container are interlocked by passing the string through the hole and round the button. This way of interlocking takes relatively much time. This means that the user cannot receive containers ready-to-erect and use, unless they receive them fully erected which wastes space. The object of the invention is to provide a container which can be folded flat to save space, but at the same time can easily be erected into unfolded erected state ready to use. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a container which is particular effective for heavy duty purposes. These objects are achieved in accordance with the invention with a container defined in the introduction which is characterised in that the interlocking means are cuts at the free edges of the polygonal panels wherein the cuts mutually connect in the unfolded erected state of the container. The container is very quick to erect and assemble, which saves much time in preparing a container for use. According to one preferred embodiment of the container, the two polygonal panels together have substantially the same form as the cross section of the main container to which they are connected. According to a second embodiment, each of the two panels is provided with at least two extensions for attachment to the bottom edge of the container, each extension being hingedly connected by a further fold line to an edge of the panel. The base consisting of two separate blanks can be manufactured apart from the remainder body of the container. Before the container is used the blanks are attached once, e.g. glued or stapled, to the body of the container. After that the container behaves as one structure with the base panels attached, which container can be folded flat for storage and delivery purposes. Because the container and the base panels are separate, they can be of different board grade. The base panels are preferably of a lower weight material than the container in order to make the base lighter, easier to handle, to fold and to manufacture. Furthermore the base panels are then less costly. The container according to the invention is further preferably characterised in that, when the extensions of the panels are fixed to the bottom edges of the container to form the base thereof, each corner of the container is secured with a flap attached to each extension, said flap being attached under or preferably over the extension from the adjacent edge by extending around the corner of the container at each corner thereof. In this way a solid connection between base and remainder body of the container is obtained. According to a further embodiment, at least one polygonal panel has a cut-away corner so as to avoid interference with the other panel when folding and unfolding the container. In case of the polygonal panel being a triangular panel, containers with quadrangular cross sections can be formed. The material of the container is cardboard, corrugated cardboard or a material with similar properties. The invention also relates to a blank for forming the base of a container according to one of the claims 1-7, said blank comprising a substantially polygonal panel and an extension on at least two edges thereof, each extension being hingedly connected by a fold line to an edge of the panel, wherein at least one main fold line starts at or near the junction of the edges to which the extensions are connected and extends to the opposite edge of the said panel, wherein a cut at the free edge of the polygonal panel is provided. Further advantages features of the blank are given in the dependent claims 9-11. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a blank for a container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container being assembled from the blank of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 and 4 show successively the container being brought from a folded flat state into an unfolded erected state; and Fig. 5 show the container in a complete unfolded erected state, wherein the top side of the container is being closed. In Fig. 1 a blank for a container according to the invention is depicted. The blank comprises three blank parts 1,2 and 3, two blank parts 1,2 for forming the base of the container and one blank part 3 for forming the remainder body, i.e. the side walls and top side, of the container. The container to be formed from this blank 1,2,3 will have an oblong cross section, although other forms are also possible. The blank part 3 for forming the remainder body of the container comprises four side panels 4 and four top side panels 5. Furthermore a glue strip 6 is connected by a fold line 7 to one of the outermost side panels, the glue strip 6 must be connected to the other outermost side panel. The side panels 4 mutually are connected by fold lines 8. Each side panel 4 and adjoining top side panel 5 are connected by fold lines 9. The top side panels 5 mutually are connected by fold lines 10. Finally, two of the top side panels 6 comprise each two fold lines 11 running slantingly from a corner of the panel to the free edge thereof. The blanks 1,2 for forming the base of the container comprise a triangular panel 12 and two extension 13 on two edges thereof. Each extension 13 being hingedly connected by a fold line 14 to the corresponding edge of the panel 12. In the triangular panel 12 one fold line 15 starts at or near the junction of the edges to which the extensions 13 are connected and extends to the opposite edge of the said panel 12. A cut 16 is provided to the free edge the triangular panel 12. Finally flap 17 is attached to each extension 13. In Fig. 1 one of the flaps 17 is depicted being attached over the extension 13 from the edge lying adjacently in an assembled state of the container. In the perspective View according to Fig. 2 assembling of the container is shown. The container body blank 3 is folded over its fold lines 7,8,10 and the strip 6 connected to one of the outermost side panels 4 is glued or otherwise attached to the inside of the other outermost side panel 4. Thereby the extensions 13 of each base blank 1,2 are folded over their fold lines 14 and glued or otherwise attached to the bottom edge of the folded and glued container body blank 3. Furthermore each corner of the container is secured with the flaps 17 attached to the extensions 13 by attaching each flap over the extension 13 from the adjacent edge by extending around the corner of the container at each corner thereof. The cuts 16 of the triangular panels 12 are hereby mutually connected as can be seen in Fig.2. In Fig. 3 the assembled container is depicted in its substantially folded flat state. In this state the triangular panels 1,2 are folded in two about their respective fold lines 15. In Fig. 4 the assembled container is depicted in its almost unfolded erected state, whereas Fig. 5 shows the container in its complete erected state in which the triangular panels 1,2 are interlocked by the cuts 16 being connected to each other. The container can be brought from a folded flat state (Fig. 3) into an unfolded erected state (Fig. 5) , and vice versa, with one move. The container is grasped by hand e.g. at one of its free upper ends, and moved as indicated with arrows A in Fig. 2. The two triangular panels 1,2 lock together automatically when their cuts 16 connect. Where the two triangular panels 1,2 meet each other there is provided a cut-away corner 18 to avoid a collision of the two panels 1,2. Then, the container is ready for use. The top side of the container can be closed by folding in the top side panels 5 over the fold lines 10,11 as indicated with arrows in Fig. 5. For storage or transportation of the container in a flat state, above-mentioned procedure is reversed. It will be understood that the cross section of the container can be different. The same applies for the form of the base panels 1,2. Furthermore, the top side of the container can be closed in another way than by means of the panels 5 shown. Finally, it is noticed that the separate base panels could also be glued or stapled on the inside of the remainder body of the container, so adding nothing to the container outer dimensions. The invention is therefore restricted solely by the content of the accompanying claims.

Claims: A container provided with a base, which container can be brought from an unfolded erected into a folded flat state and vice versa the container comprising a blank part (3) with side panels (4), the base comprising two substantially polygonal panels (1,2), wherein each panel (1,2) is provided with a main fold line (15) starting at or near the junction of two bottom edges of the container to which the said panel (1,2) is connected and extending to the opposite free edge of said panel (1,2), and wherein the two panels (1,2) have interlocking means at their free edges, said interlocking means interlock the panels (1,2) in the unfolded erected state of the container, characterized in that the interlocking means are cuts (16) at the free edges of the polygonal panels (1,2) wherein the cuts mutually connect in the unfolded erected state of the container. A container according to claim 1, wherein the two polygonal panels (1,2) together have substantially the same form as the cross section of the main container to which they are connected. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the two panels (1,2) is provided with at least two extensions (13) for attachment to the bottom edge of the container, each extension (13) being hingedly connected by a further fold line (14) to an edge of the panel (1,2). A container according to claim 3, when the extensions (13) of the panels (1,2) are fixed to the bottom edges of the container to form the base thereof, each corner of the container is secured with a flap (17) attached to each extension (13), said flap (17) being attached under or preferably over the extension (13) from the adjacent edge by extending around the corner of the container at each corner thereof. A container according to one of the claims 1-4, wherein at least one polygonal panel (1,2) has a cut-away corner (18) so as to avoid interference with the other panel (1,2) when folding and unfolding the container. A container according to one of the claims 1-5, wherein the polygonal panel (1,2) is a triangular panel. A container according to one of the claims 1-6, wherein the material of the container is cardboard, corrugated cardboard or a material with similar properties. Blank for forming the base of a container according to one of the claims 1-7, said blank comprising a substantially polygonal panel (1,2) and an extension (13) on at least two edges thereof, each extension (13) being hingedly connected by a fold line (14) to an edge of the panel (1,2), wherein at least one main fold line (15) starts at or near the junction of the edges to which the extensions (13) are connected and extends to the opposite edge of the said panel (1,2), characterized in that a cut (16) at the free edge of the polygonal panel (1,2) is provided. A blank according to claim 8, wherein the polygonal panel (1,2) comprises a cut-away corner (18). A blank according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a flap (17) attached to each extension (13). A blank according to one of the claims 8-10, wherein the polygonal panel (1,2) is a triangular panel.

Inventors: BREKELMANS CORNELIS ANTONIUS H, TUBALAWONY KENNY JACOB PHILIPS, VAN RIEL BASTIAAN FRANCISCUS M, BREKELMANS, CORNELIS ANTONIUS HENRICUS GERARDUS M., TUBALAWONY, KENNY JACOB PHILIPS, VAN RIEL, BASTIAAN FRANCISCUS MARIA
Applicants: SCA PACKAGING BENELUX B V, SCA PACKAGING BENELUX B.V.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5