Abstract:
A collapsible box that provides access through both its top and front side, said box comprising sets of interior and exterior sidewalls, said interior sidewalls folding inward along a hinge and said exterior sidewalls folding along a hinge that runs along a bias. Said box capable of being made from either flat sheet material or molded parts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Boxes are commonly used in transporting, moving, conveying, sorting and storing goods and materials, and are employed by a diversity of industries such as trucking, warehousing, manufacturing, office moving and household goods moving.  
         [0002]     In its preferred embodiment, the box of the present invention is made of either corrugated cardboard (“corrugated”) or paperboard. But it could also be made of other materials including, without limitation, plastic, metal or wood.  
         [0003]     In a preferred embodiment, the box of the present invention is both foldable and collapsible. As a foldable box, it is initially die cut, as a pattern, from flat sheet stock, such as corrugated. Thereafter, such die-cut flat sheet is folded along various fold-lines and glued or stapled until it has been “formed”. Once formed, the box can typically be maintained in either “open” or “closed” position without need to either return it to flat sheet stock or re-form it. When a formed box is in open position, it can be quickly and easily collapsed into closed position, thereby conserving space. In reverse, when a formed box is in closed position, it can be quickly and easily opened, thereby making it available to hold contents.  
         [0004]     In one scenario, the box of the present invention can be shipped from a factory as flat sheet stock, thereby minimizing both production and shipping costs. The box would be later formed by the final user. In another scenario, the box could be formed at the factory level and then shipped in closed position, thereby reducing shipping costs as compared to boxes that require shipping in open position.  
         [0005]     In an alternative embodiment, the box of the present invention could be made from parts that are not cut from flat sheet. As an example, without limitation, such parts could be molded of plastic using a process such as injection molding. Where applicable, such parts could be hinged together using any of a variety of hinging methods.  
         [0006]     A major benefit of the preferred embodiment of the box of the present invention is that, when in open position, both the top lid and front door of said box can be opened at the same time. Thereby, objects can be loaded into said box (or unloaded from it) without either lifting them over a front wall or sliding them under a top wall. Such configuration in which both the top lid and front door are simultaneously open is possible when said box is either standing alone or positioned at the top of a stack of other boxes.  
         [0007]     In its preferred embodiment, when the box of the present invention has other boxes stacked above it, the front wall of said box can still be opened. Thus, another major benefit of said preferred embodiment is that frontal access to any box in a stack is possible. Thereby, objects can be loaded into, or unloaded from, a lower box within a stack without lifting the box or boxes above it.  
         [0008]     Since both the top wall and front wall of the preferred embodiment of the box of the present invention can be opened, said walls are referred to herein as a “top lid” and “front door,” respectively U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,342 to Sanders et. al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,387 to Stonier disclose collapsible containers. However, the Sanders and Stonier containers only allow top access. Neither container allows front access or can be formed from flat sheet stock, as does the box of the present invention. Nor do the Sanders and Stonier containers disclose: (i) a combination of both front and top access, (ii) any form of a front lid or front door or (iii) a combination of a front door and top lid, as does the present invention. The benefits of the present invention over Sanders and Stonier are significant in that the present invention minimizes production and shipping costs and allows (i) frontal access to any box in a stack without removing the boxes above it and (ii) easy loading and unloading with lifting objects over a sidewall or sliding objects under a top lid. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment the structure of the present invention comprises a pair of vertical inner sidewalls (items  203 J and  203 K in  FIG. 5C ) that provide additional strength for bearing a load; the Sanders and Stonier containers lack such inner sidewalls.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     In a preferred embodiment, the box of the present invention, when in open position, is rectangular in shape and essentially comprises a top lid, floor, back wall, a pair of opposed vertical sidewalls and a hinged front door. Each of said vertical sidewalls is comprised of an exterior sidewall and an interior sidewall. Said exterior sidewall folds upon a hinge to collapse, said hinge running along a bias. In the preferred embodiment of the box of the present invention, said bias runs along a diagonal line that extends upwardly and outwardly from the point at which the bottom of said sidewall meets the back wall of said box to a point at the top of said sidewall near the front of said box. In alternative embodiments, said bias could be otherwise configured. For example, without limitation, said bias could run along a diagonal line that extends upwardly and inwardly from the point at which the bottom of said sidewall meets the front of said box to a point at the top of said sidewall near the back of said box.  
         [0010]     When the box of the present invention is in open position, the aforementioned floor of said box is comprised of three sheets of corrugated cardboard. The outermost, innermost and middle sheets of said three sheets are referred to herein as the “exterior floor panel,” “interior floor panel” and “middle floor panel, respectively.  
         [0011]     A hinged panel extends outwardly from said interior floor panel, said hinged panel comprising a pair of opposed rounded wings extending from its left and right sides. Said hinged panel and wings comprise the “front door” of said box. Said front door can swing between open and closed positions. Said front door is closed by swinging it upward and tucking said wings between the aforementioned exterior and interior sidewalls. Said front is opened by swinging it downward, thereby allowing frontal access to the interior of said box.  
         [0012]     In a preferred embodiment, a closure arrangement on each of the left and right sides of the box secures both the top lid and front door to the exterior sidewall. The closure on either side that secures the top lid to the exterior sidewall comprises a “button and loop” structure; said loop comprising a flexible band that is permanently affixed to said top lid and can be wrapped around said button; said button comprising a rigid “head” attached to said box. The closure that secures the front door to the exterior sidewall comprises a “button and tab” structure; said tab comprising a small piece of stretchable material that is permanently affixed to said front door; said flexible material comprising a slit that can be wrapped around the same button as does the aforementioned loop.  
         [0013]     When the box of the present invention is in closed position, said box comprises a horizontal upper section and horizontal lower section. In a preferred embodiment, said upper section is comprised of a set of panels that extend from the exterior back wall of said box. When said box, starting from closed position, is in the process of being opened, each panel of the set that comprises said upper section swings into position to comprise a different component of said box. One of said panels swings into position to comprise the interior back wall of said box. The other panels swings into position to comprise the top lid of said box, said top lid comprised of two thicknesses of corrugated sheet glued together. Both of said panels swing by rotating about a hinge that runs along the horizontal upper edge of the exterior back wall of said box. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows the flat, die cut main sheet of corrugated from which the box of the present invention is primarily formed. Lines along which panels are die cut and detached from such main sheet are shown as solid lines and are referred to herein as “cut lines”. Lines along which panels are folded or turned are shown as dotted lines and are referred to herein as “crease lines.” Such “crease lines” are created by pressing an indentation into the corrugated sheet. As an alternative to creasing, corrugated sheet could be “scored,” which is done by either cutting a line across the sheet in intermittent sections or cutting part way through its thickness. Areas in which glue is applied to the corrugated sheet are indicated by diagonal cross-hatch lines.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows the flat die cut sheet of  FIG. 1  after certain panels have been detached from said sheet.  
         [0016]      FIGS. 3 through 9 A are perspective frontal views showing the successive steps in which an open box is formed from flat sheet stock.  FIG. 8  shows the box of the present invention with both its top lid and front door in open position, thereby providing both top and front access to the interior of said box.  FIG. 9A  shows a fully formed box in open position with its top lid open and front door closed, said front door and the exterior sidewalls of said box secured to each other by the aforementioned button and tab structure. While in the configuration shown in  FIG. 9A , top access is provided to the interior of said box through the opening at its top. Front access is not provided while in said configuration.  FIG. 9B  is a perspective side view of a fully formed box of the present invention in open position with both its top lid and front door closed, both said top lid and front door secured to said exterior sidewalls by the aforementioned button and loop structure and button and tab structure, respectively.  
         [0017]      FIG. 9C  shows a fully formed box in open position with its top lid closed and front door open, said top lid and exterior sidewalls secured to each other by the aforementioned button and loop structure. While in the configuration shown in  FIG. 9C , front access is provided to the interior of said box through the opening at its front. Top access is not provided while in said configuration.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9D  shows a stack of three fully formed boxes. The top box is shown with both its top lid and front door open; the middle box is shown with only its front door open; and the bottom box is shown with both its top lid and front door closed  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a perspective frontal view of said box in open position with its top lid open and front door closed. Although said front door is closed, said front door and exterior sidewalls are not secured to each other by the aforementioned button and tab structure. FIGS.  11  thru  15 B, and  FIG. 15D , are perspective frontal views showing the successive steps in which the box of the present invention is collapsed into closed position.  FIG. 15C  is a perspective side view showing the top lid in the process of being folded under the floor of said box.  FIGS. 16A  thru  18 I show an alternative embodiment of the box of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]      FIG. 1 , in part, comprises the flat panels from which opposed interior sidewalls  203 J and  203 K, and middle floor panel  203 C, are formed.  FIG. 2  comprises the flat die cut sheet of  FIG. 1  after said panels  203 J,  203 K and  203 C have been detached along cut line  801  ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows the flat panels of corrugated sheet  204 A and  204 B that can be folded along crease lines  291 F and  291 E to form the aforementioned front door, said panels referred to herein as the “inside panel” and “outside panel”, respectively. Outside panel  204 B extends outwardly from exterior floor panel  101 . Inside panel  204 A extends from outside panel  204 B.  FIG. 3  shows inside panel  204 A after it has been turned upward about 90 degrees.  FIG. 4  shows inside panel  204 A after it has been turned upward a full 180 degrees, thereby overlapping outside panel  204 B and glued to it to form the center section of the front door of said box. Opposed rounded wings  204 C and  204 D extend from the left and right sides of outside panel  204 B. Said center section and opposed rounded wings comprise the “front door” of said box. Crease line  262 C acts as a hinge between said front door and said exterior floor panel of said box. Said front door rotates between open and closed positions upon said hinge  262 C. In alternative embodiments, said front door could extend from (and be hingedly attached to) to other locations including, without limitation, the top lid or the interior or exterior sidewalls of said box. Hole  617  provides a finger notch to facilitate opening said front door.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5A  shows panels  203 J and  203 K after they have been turned ninety degrees upward with respect to middle floor panel  203 C.  FIG. 5B  shows a preferred embodiment in which panels  203 J and  203 K are positioned to form the interior sidewalls of the box. The upper side of middle floor panel  203 C has been glued to the lower side of interior floor panel  101 . In alternative embodiments, said opposed interior sidewalls and middle floor panel could extend from locations other than those shown in the preferred embodiment. Said interior sidewalls  203 J and  203 K comprise holes  203 E and  203 F, respectively.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5B  shows opposed panels  103 J and  103 K and opposed panels  102 A and  102 B as flat sheet before being turned.  FIG. 5C  shows said panels  103 J,  103 K,  102 A and  102 B after having been turned ninety degrees inward along crease lines  905  and  906  ( FIG. 1 ). Panels  103 J and  103 K form the opposed exterior sidewalls of the box. Said exterior sidewalls comprise holes  103 E and  103 F, respectively. Holes  103 E and  103 F are aligned with the aforementioned holes  203 E and  203 F, respectively, thereby forming a set of gripping areas through which hands can be inserted for carrying the box.  FIG. 5C  further shows panel  105 A after it has be turned along crease line  907  to form the exterior back wall of the box of the present invention. In  FIGS. 5B and 5C , wings  204 C and  204   d  have been partially turned inward along crease lines  924 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 5D  shows the box of the present invention after the aforementioned panels  102 A and  102 B (not visible in  FIG. 5D ) have been turned ninety degrees upward and glued to the underside of middle floor panel  203 C, said panels  102 A and  102 B thereby comprising the exterior floor panels of said box. Panel  102 A has been turned along crease lines  901 A and  903 A; panel  102 B has been turned along crease lines  901 B and  903 B. With respect to each of said panels, a double set of crease lines is used to facilitate turning.  
         [0025]     In  FIG. 5D , exterior floor panels  102 A and  102 B, interior floor panel  101  and middle floor panel  203 C overlap each other and are glued together to form the triple thickness floor of box of the present invention. Alternative embodiments may comprise single, double or other floor thicknesses.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows: (i) panels  104 A and  104 B in the process of being folded towards each other along crease lines  911  and  912  and (ii) panel  105 B after it has been turned with respect to panel  104 B along crease line  908 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  shows: (i) panel  104 B after it has been fully folded and glued to panel  104 A, thereby forming a double-thickness top lid of the box of the present invention.  FIG. 7  further shows panel  105 B after it has been turned with respect to panel  104 B along crease line  908 . Alternative embodiments may comprise single, triple or other top lid thicknesses.  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  shows panel  105 B after it has been turned downward along crease line  908  to form the interior back wall of the box of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 9A  shows the box of  FIG. 8  after the front door has been swung into closed position. The aforementioned center section of said front door covers the front opening of the box. Left wing  204 C ( FIG. 1 ) is tucked between exterior sidewall  103 J ( FIG. 1 ) and interior sidewall  203 J ( FIG. 1 ); right wing  204 D ( FIG. 1 ) is tucked between exterior sidewall  103 K ( FIG. 1 ) and interior sidewall  203 K ( FIG. 1 ). Stretchable tab  205  ( FIG. 9A ) is wrapped around button  208  ( FIG. 9B ), thereby securing said front door to said exterior sidewall. In a preferred embodiment, said tab  205  is permanently riveted, or otherwise affixed, to said front door.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9B  shows the top lid of said box after said top lid has been turned downward along crease line  937  and  938  ( FIG. 6 ) into closed position. Loop  206  and tab  205  are both wrapped around button  208 . Tab  205  secures said front door to said exterior sidewall. Loop  206  secures said top lid to said exterior sidewall. In a preferred embodiment, said loop  206  is permanently affixed to said box by passing it through pair of holes  621  in said top lid. In a preferred embodiment, said button  208  is permanently riveted, or otherwise affixed, to said exterior sidewalls. In a preferred embodiment, loop  206  is similar in shape to a common rubber band and tab  205  has an oblong shape, although other shapes and structures of said loop and tab are possible in alternative embodiments.  
         [0031]      FIG. 11  shows the results of a first set of steps in the process of collapsing the box of the present invention. In  FIG. 11 , the top lid of said box has been opened, exposing panel  104 B as the underside of said top lid. Also in  FIG. 11 , the front door of said box has been opened, exposing panel  204 A as the back side of said front door. In  FIG. 12 , interior back wall  105 B has been turned upward about 130 degrees.  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 13 , interior sidewalls  203 J and  203 K are in the process of being folded downward. In  FIG. 14 : (i) said interior sidewalls  203 J and  203 K have been folded fully downward and rest atop exterior floor panel  101  (as shown in  FIG. 12 ) and (ii) exterior sidewalls  103 J and  103 K are in the process of being collapsed inward along crease lines  909 A and  909 B, respectively.  FIG. 15A  shows the box of the present invention with exterior sidewalls  103 J and  103 K fully collapsed.  FIG. 15B  shows wings  204 C and  204 D fully folded inward and resting atop inside panel  204 A of said front door.  FIG. 15C  is a side view showing said front door in the process of being turned underneath the floor of said box upon crease line, or hinge,  262 C.  FIG. 15D  is a front view showing the box of the present invention fully collapsed with said front door fully turned, and resting beneath, said floor.  
         [0033]     In the above described preferred embodiment of the box of the present invention, the interior sidewalls ( 203 J and  203 K) extend from the floor of said box. In a first alternative embodiment, the comparable interior sidewalls ( 6203 J and  6203 K) extend from the back wall of said box.  
         [0034]      FIG. 16A  shows the flat, die cut main sheet of corrugated from which such first alternative embodiment is primarily formed.  FIG. 16B  shows said flat die cut sheet after certain panels have been detached from it.  FIGS. 16C through 16F  are perspective views showing the successive steps in which the main body of the box of said first alternative embodiment is formed from flat sheet stock.  
         [0035]      FIG. 16F  shows panel  6105 B after it has been turned downward along score line  6937  ( FIG. 16B ) to form the interior back wall of the box of said first alternative embodiment. Panels  6203 J and  6203 K, have been rotated downward along with panel  6105 B, said panels  6203 J and  6203 K, thereby in position to comprise the opposed interior sidewalls of said box. In additional alternative embodiments, opposed interior sidewalls could be attached to the main body of said box in locations other than the interior back wall. For example, without limitation, said interior sidewalls could be attached along: (i) the bottom of the exterior sidewalls, (ii) the top of said exterior sidewalls or (iii) the front of said exterior sidewalls or (iv) the back of said exterior sidewalls or (v) along the left and right sides of the main floor of said box or (vi) along the left and right sides of the interior floor panel of said box.  
         [0036]     In the above described preferred embodiment of the box of the present invention, the front door extends from the floor of said box. In, yet, another feature of the above stated first alternative embodiment, said front door is stored inside a hollow storage compartment that lies underneath the main body of said box.  
         [0037]      FIG. 16A , in part, comprises flat panels  6621 A and  6621 B from which said hollow front door storage compartment (shown in  FIGS. 17D  thru  17 F) is formed.  FIG. 16B  comprises the flat die cut sheet of  FIG. 16A  after panels  6621 A and  6621 B have been detached along cut lines  6801 A and  6801 B ( FIG. 16A ), respectively.  
         [0038]      FIGS. 17A  thru  17 C are perspective views showing the components of the structure that comprises said hollow storage compartment.  FIGS. 17D  thru  17 F show said components after they have been formed into a hollow compartment. Front door panel  6204  would typically be die cut from a separate sheet that is not embodied within the main sheet shown in  FIG. 16A , although, in other embodiments, said flat panel could be cut from said main sheet.  FIG. 17 D  shows a front view in which said front door is fully housed inside said storage compartment.  FIGS. 17E and 17F  respectively show a side view and a front view of said front door storage compartment with said front door partially protruding from said compartment.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 18A, 18B  and  18 C show front perspective views after said front door storage compartment has been glued to the bottom of said box. Said Figs., respectively show: (i) the front door panel fully housed inside said storage compartment, (ii) the front door panel protruding from said front door storage compartment and (iii) the panel after it has been pulled out of said compartment and rotated upward to form the front door of said box. In other alternative embodiments, the front door storage compartment could be attached either above or below the top lid, in front of or behind the back lid, or in other locations on said box.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 18D  thru  18 I show the box of said first alternative embodiment in successive stages of being collapsed. In  FIG. 18D , top lid  6104 B has been turned upward into open position. In  FIG. 18E , interior sidewalls  6203 J and  6203 K and interior floor  6105 B have been turned upward. In  FIG. 18F , interior sidewall  6203 J and  6203 K have been turned 90 degrees inward. In  FIG. 18G , exterior sidewalls  6103 J and  6103 K are in the process of being folded inward. In  FIG. 18H , exterior sidewalls  6103 J and  6103 K have been folded fully downward. In  FIG. 18I , front door panel  6204  has been pushed fully into the front door storage compartment, thereby completing the collapsing of said first alternative embodiment the box of the present invention.  
         [0041]     Wherever the word “hinge” is used herein, such hinge comprises a means by which one or more of the surfaces to which said hinge is attached can pivot about an axis. Such hinge can be made of a variety of materials including, without limitation, metal, plastic or paper and can comprise a variety of different structures. In particular, such hinge may comprise a length of flat, flexible tape that is affixed to a surface by glue or other means. In the alternative, such hinge may created within a wall by simple scoring, creasing, or cutting partially through, said wall; such embodiment sometimes referred to as a “living hinge.” The above applies to any variation of the word “hinge”, such as “hinged” or “hingedly”.  
         [0042]     Wherever the word “glue” is used herein, other means of attachment may be used including, without limitation, staples, clips, rubber bands, string, cord, rope, pins, adhesive, adhesive backed tape and clamps. Similarly, in some instances the box may be formed without using any external means of attachment by simply relying on the various folds or other structures of the box to hold its elements in place.  
         [0043]     While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of one or more embodiments thereof. Other variations and embodiments are possible. Without limitation, such other embodiments may include variations in the flat sheet from which the box of the present invention may be formed. Those who are skilled in the art will readily perceive how to modify the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to cover all equivalent structures which fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention and should not be limited to the embodiments illustrated.