Abstract:
This consists of six pieces: a bottom ( 1 ), two side pieces ( 2 ), ( 2′ ) and two ends ( 3 ), ( 3′ ), and a lid or top ( 4 ), all made of medium or high density wood fiber and that can be assembled by means of a number of tabs ( 11 ) and ( 29 ) emerging from some of said pieces and which couple by a tongue and groove system to respective slots ( 19 ) and ( 17 ) made in other pieces. The box has stacking means which are materialized in upward extensions ( 20 ), ( 20′ ), ( 24 ), ( 24 ′) of the upper ends of the side pieces and of the ends, determining oblique edges, coinciding with notches of the same shape made in their lower edges, which allow these to be self-centring. The free outwardly-projecting ends of the securing tabs constitute a spacer between boxes, which when these are palletised means that conduits are formed to facilitate air circulation between them.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of International Patent Application No. PCT/ES2005/000001, filed Jan. 1, 2005, which was published in the Spanish language on Jul. 20, 2006, under International Publication No. WO 2006/075031 A1 and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention covers a box of the type used in marketing fruit and vegetable produce, specifically a box made of medium or high density wood fiber or some other similar product, incorporating holes to facilitate aeration of the product that it contains.  
         [0003]     The purpose of the invention is to provide a package able to withstand heavy loads, made of a single recyclable material, which can be transported dismantled and is easy to assemble, with no need for staples, nails or any kind of adhesive, facilitating its stacking and providing optimum ventilation of the products kept inside it.  
         [0004]     The usage of cardboard boxes for storing and transporting fruit and vegetable produce is well known. Although these have the advantage of being able to be stored dismantled, taking up the least space possible, such boxes involve the disadvantage of having very low structural rigidity, which is why they cannot be used for storing excessively heavy products, apart from entailing the further problem of a major drop in their structural rigidity in the presence of humidity.  
         [0005]     Wooden boxes are also often used for this type of products. Although they have greater structural rigidity, to be assembled they require staples, nails or some kind of adhesive complicating the construction process, which results in making the final product more expensive.  
         [0006]     This type of boxes also has the added problem of being difficult to recycle, due to the presence of said staples or nails, whose elimination in the recycling process becomes complicated, to such an extent that there are countries which do not allow in boxes with staples.  
         [0007]     Apart from this, in a large number of countries the use of wooden boxes is covered by certain legislation forcing said wood to be treated to be free of pests, with the corresponding certificate vouching for this, though this is not always complied with.  
         [0008]     This type of boxes involves the further problem of being supplied assembled, consequently using up the space available, with the economic repercussions that this has.  
         [0009]     Lastly, cardboard and wooden boxes are also known of with holes, slits or slots in their sides to improve their preservation condition by aeration. This solution is valid for vertically stacking boxes, but when space reasons mean that several piles of boxes are stacked beside each other, forming several rows, the boxes located on the outside make it impossible to air the other boxes, as they cover these completely, with the resulting damage for the products stored.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The single-material package for containing fruit and vegetable produce with a lid as proposed in this invention is intended to provide an entirely satisfactory solution to the problems stated above, being made up of six pieces of “MDF” medium or high density wood fiber or some other similar product. These pieces consist of a bottom, two sidepieces, two ends and a top or lid. All these pieces can be easily fitted together with no need for nails, staples nor any kind of adhesive.  
         [0011]     The bottom consists of a basically rectangular piece with chamfered corners, a plurality of holes of different radiuses, evenly distributed across its surface, as well as a series of slots longitudinally spread along its smaller sides, with a plurality of trapezium-shaped tabs emerging from its larger edges to assemble the side pieces to said bottom easily.  
         [0012]     The side pieces consist of a basically rectangular body, with a broad notch in its upper side, to facilitate aeration of the contents of the box, with chamfered lower edges, and a plurality of slots at both side and bottom edges positionally coinciding with the tabs emerging from the larger edges of the bottom, in the case of the lower edge, and with the tabs emerging from the box ends, as will be described below.  
         [0013]     The box end pieces consist of a basically rectangular body, with chamfered lower edges, incorporating in their lower edge a plurality of trapezium-shaped tabs, of the same kind as the ones emerging from the longer sides of the bottom. In their side edges there are a number of trapezium-shaped tabs, in whose lower edge there is a small notch which thus forms a tooth for tongue and groove-type coupling with the side pieces by sliding in under pressure, with said side edge having a wedge that makes it impossible to pull out the box end after being coupled to the slot. They also have the usual oval-shaped holes in the middle upper side like handles, having a small extension or tab in the middle of the upper edge, for coupling the top.  
         [0014]     This top, with a basically rectangular shape, and coinciding with the mouth of the box, has a number of holes, for proper aeration of the product inside, as well as to help viewing the contents, having two appendices for coupling to the aforementioned oval holes in the box ends in the middle zone of its shorter sides, so that after being attached, this top can also be used as a handle for the box, by means of its holes.  
         [0015]     Both the box sides and the ends have triangular-shaped extensions or appendices on their upper edges. These extensions facilitate perfect vertical stacking of the boxes, when these have not been placed in perfect alignment for some reason, as the rounded lower edges of both the ends and the sides coincide with the sloping edges of these extensions, the upper box sliding on said sloping surface to its proper position by its own weight.  
         [0016]     To get greater stability in stacking, the box ends have in turn a number of trapezium-shaped tabs along their upper edges, spaced out in such a way as to constitute a tongue and groove coupling with the tabs of the lower bottom securing edge of the end belonging to the box immediately above. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.  
         [0018]     In the drawings:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1 . This figure shows an exploded plan view of a box for fruit and vegetable produce, made according to the object of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  Shows a plan view of the tabs for coupling the base to the sides.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  Shows a perspective view of the box in an intermediate phase of the assembly.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  Shows a perspective view of the assembled box without its lid.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  Shows a perspective view of the assembled box with its lid.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  Shows an elevation view of a detail of the prior assembly of the box ends to the sides.  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  Shows an elevation view of a detail of the final arrangement of the assembly tabs in the top area of the box ends to the sides.  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  Shows an elevation view of a set of boxes stacked in several rows.  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  Shows a plan view of a set of boxes stacked in several rows.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     In view of the figures referred to, and particularly  FIG. 1 , it can be seen how the box for fruit and vegetable produce proposed by the invention consists basically of a bottom ( 1 ), two sides ( 2 ) ( 2 ′), two ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) and a lid ( 4 ), all being able to be coupled together.  
         [0029]     The bottom ( 1 ) consists of a basically rectangular body, fitted with a plurality of circular holes ( 5 ) and ( 6 ), of greater and small diameter respectively, spaced out over its surface area, as well as a series of slots, ( 7 ), longitudinally distributed along its lower edges ( 8 ), ( 8 ) for tongue and groove coupling to the ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′). The bottom ( 1 ) also has four chamfered corners ( 9 ) and a plurality of tabs ( 11 ) emerge from its larger sides ( 10 ), ( 10 ′) for tongue and groove coupling to the sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′), in a coupling arrangement which will be explained below.  
         [0030]     These tabs ( 11 ) have a trapezium shape with a chamfered presentation zone ( 12 ) with its edges rounded off, this zone helping to position it against the corresponding slot, an expansion zone ( 13 ), of slightly greater length than that of said slot and an inverse trapezium-shaped zone ( 14 ), with a transversal length equal to the thickness of the part that receives this, having in its narrowest longitudinal zone the same longitudinal coordinate as the receiving slot, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0031]     The sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′) consist of a basically rectangular body, with the traditional notch ( 15 ) in its upper larger side, this being a rectangular notch, with its edges extremely rounded off to get greater aeration of the product housed inside the box.  
         [0032]     On both smaller sides ( 16 ), ( 16 ′) the box sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′) incorporate a number of slots ( 17 ), as well as in their lower edge ( 18 ), given reference ( 19 ) for its respective assembly with the ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) and the bottom ( 1 ).  
         [0033]     Furthermore, two triangular extensions ( 20 ), ( 20 ′) emerge from the ends of these sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′), the extensions&#39; inclination coinciding with the inclination of both chamfered lower corners ( 21 ), ( 21 ′).  
         [0034]     The ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) have an essentially rectangular body, provided in its lower edge area ( 22 ) with a plurality of tabs ( 23 ), of the same kind as the ones present in the upper edges ( 10 ), ( 10 ′) of the bottom ( 1 ).  
         [0035]     From the ends of said box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) there emerge two triangular extensions ( 24 ), ( 24 ′) whose inclination coincides with the inclination of both chamfered lower corners ( 25 ), ( 25 ′). A self-stacking effect is achieved by means of these and the triangular extensions ( 20 ), ( 20 ′) fitted on the box sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′), as well as their chamfered corners ( 21 ), ( 21 ′), so that if the upper box has not been placed properly, this will slide down under its own weight onto said sloping surfaces until the proper position is reached.  
         [0036]     To ensure greater stability of the stacked boxes, the box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) incorporate in turn at their upper edge ( 26 ), a number of tabs ( 27 ), of trapezium shape, spaced out in such a way that these form a tongue and groove coupling with the surface of the tabs ( 23 ) of the box end, which stand out from the lower side of the bottom ( 1 ).  
         [0037]     At both lateral edges ( 28 ), ( 28 ′) the box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) incorporate a number of trapezium-shaped tabs ( 29 ) in whose lower edge these have a small notch ( 30 ), with the same width as the thickness of the sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′). This notch ( 30 ) generates a tooth ( 31 ), for tongue and groove coupling with the box sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′) through its holes ( 17 ).  
         [0038]     As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , for assembling the box, the procedure involves placing the sides opposite each other ( 2 ), ( 2 ′) with the larger sides ( 10 ), ( 10 ′) of the bottom ( 1 ). Then the box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) are placed on the lower sides ( 8 ), ( 8 ′) of the bottom ( 1 ), the four pieces thus being presented, after which the sides ( 2 ), ( 2 ′) are fitted to the bottom ( 1 ), inserting the tabs ( 11 ) by elastic deformation into the slots ( 19 ), and at the same time inserting the tabs ( 29 ) of the ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) into the slots ( 17 ) in the box sides.  
         [0039]     After inserting the tabs ( 29 ), these are locked in by means of vertical downward movement, applying a certain pressure on the box end, elastically deforming a small wedge ( 32 ), located beside the tab closest to the upper end of the edges ( 28 ), ( 28 ′), so that after fitting this wedge into the slot ( 17 ), this prevents any upward vertical movement of the box end, preventing it from being pulled out, as can be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  
         [0040]     The pressure applied as above is made use of to lock the tabs ( 23 ) of the lower edge of the box end in the slots ( 7 ) present in the smaller edges ( 8 ), ( 8 ′) of the bottom ( 1 ) in the same movement, the box ending up properly assembled, except for the top, without the use of any kind of adhesive, staples or nails being necessary for this.  
         [0041]     In their upper middle zone the box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′) have the traditional oval-shaped hole ( 33 ), used as a handle, which has in its upper middle zone a small tab ( 34 ) for coupling the lid ( 4 ).  
         [0042]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the lid ( 4 ) has a basically rectangular surface, with a number of holes ( 35 ) for proper aeration of the product inserted, as well as for facilitating the vision of the contents inside.  
         [0043]     In the middle zone of its shorter sides ( 36 ), ( 36 ′) this lid ( 4 ) has certain extensions ( 37 ), which incorporate slots ( 38 ) for coupling this to the box, so that after facing the lid ( 4 ) towards the mouth of the box, by means of a small elastic deformation of this, the extensions ( 37 ) are inserted through the oval-shaped holes ( 33 ) in the box ends ( 3 ), ( 3 ′), the tab ( 34 ) being coupled in the slot ( 38 ).  
         [0044]     This thus means that the lid has the effect of holding back the products contained in the box, if this should tip over, and this lid can be used as a handle by means of the holes ( 35 ).  
         [0045]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the projections ( 39 ) of the tabs ( 29 ) in the box ends, as well as the distance between the slots ( 17 ) and the edge of the side pieces ( 16 ), ( 16 ′), constitute a spacer between boxes, preventing the surfaces of the boxes from coming into contact with each other, when these are placed in a compact pallet arrangement, facilitating the circulation of air between the interior boxes through the holes ( 41 )  
         [0046]     Optionally, as represented in FIGS.  10  to  13 , the lid may not have the projections ( 37 ) with the aforementioned slots ( 38 ) thereof, but, instead, it may have four projections ( 42 ) as an extension of its larger edges, in which case the sides ( 2 ′) will have slots ( 43 ) to receive said projections ( 42 ), and the sides ( 3 ′) will not have the aforementioned extension ( 34 ), in the typical oval-shaped hole ( 33 ), which works as a handle, whereby it is avoided the need that said extensions ( 34 ) be perfectly calibrated for pressure coupling to the slots ( 38 ), avoiding the tendency to fall by gravity, which decreases the stability of the lid where the box or container is not full of products, which does not happen in the aforementioned solution of FIGS.  10  to  13 , where the lid is perfectly stable with respect to the body, as can be seen in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0047]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.