Patent Publication Number: US-2005126955-A1

Title: Package box achieving recycling purpose and fabrication method thereof

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 92135461, filed Dec. 15, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a package box achieving recycling purpose, and to a method for fabricating the same, and more particularly, to the structure and fabrication method of the package box which can be converted into other kinds of products.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A package box is used for supporting and protecting a product placed therein, thereby protecting the product from damage caused by external impact. Commonly, after products are delivered to consumers, the consumers generally put away the package boxes of the products, which not only resulting in increasing environmental burdens but also wasting precious earth resource.  
      Recently, due to the uprising of environmental consciousness, the concept of green package have become a global trend, and how to effectively achieve multiple reuse applications has always been an important issue on environmental protection. However, none of the conventional skills has ever produced the structure and fabrication method of the package box having the feature of multiple reuse applications, so that a consumer at most may reuse a package box to accommodate other articles, or tear off the package box for use on other purposes, besides just discarding the package box. Since the reused package box or the material thereof is not applied in accordance with its original design, it is usually for temporary use only. In addition, consumers generally lack of design and fabrication capability, and the package box without specific design not only lacks of pleasing outlook but also cannot be used over a longer period of time due to lacking of strong structure, so that the package box reused or the material thereof still has to be discarded after a short period of time, thus still causing environmental burden and resource waste.  
      Hence, there is an urgent need to develop the structure and fabrication method of a package box which can achieve recycling purpose, so as to briefly convert the package box into a recycled product applicable in daily life, thereby preventing the package box from being discarded, thus reducing environmental burden and resource waste for achieving the object of recycling resource.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with an aspect, the present invention is to provide the structure and fabrication method of a package box which can achieve recycling purpose for briefly converting the package box into a recycled product applicable in daily life, thereby preventing the package box from being discarded, thus reducing environmental burden and resource waste.  
      According to the aforementioned aspect, a package box achieving recycling purpose is provided, and according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the package box achieving recycling purpose comprises: a package box having a plurality of packaging components, and at least one predetermined form pattern used for recycling purpose, wherein the predetermined form pattern is formed on the packaging components, and the package box is reassembled to form at least one recycled product in accordance with the predetermined form pattern.  
      Further, according to the aforementioned aspect, a method for fabricating a package box achieving recycling purpose is provided, and according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises: providing a flat board; forming a first form pattern on the flat board; and forming a second form pattern inside the first form pattern, wherein the first form pattern is the development pattern used for forming the package box, and the second form pattern is the development pattern used for forming a recycled product.  
      Further, the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose comprises: forming a first flat board portion in accordance with the first form pattern on the flat board; and folding the first flat board portion to form the package box.  
      Further, the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose comprises: forming a second flat board portion in accordance with the second form pattern on the flat board; and folding the second flat board portion to form the recycled product.  
      Hence, with the application of the present invention, a package box can be briefly converted into a recycled product applicable to daily life, thereby preventing the package box from being discarded, thus reducing environmental burden and resource waste. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a hand-carrying box that can be regenerated into a file box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 1B  is a schematic development diagram showing the hand-carrying box that can be regenerated into the file box according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a pretty box/sleeve that can be regenerated into a file box according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2B  is a schematic development diagram showing the pretty box/sleeve that can be regenerated into the file box according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a pizza box that can be regenerated into a collection container according to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3B  is a schematic development diagram showing the pizza box that can be regenerated into the collection container according to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a carton that can be regenerated into an organizer chest according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 4B  is a schematic development diagram showing the carton that can be regenerated into the organizer chest according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      According to the present invention, a package box achieving recycling purpose adopts a package box having a plurality of packaging components, wherein at least one predetermined form pattern used for recycling purpose is formed on the packaging components, and is used to reassemble the aforementioned package box as a recycled product. The common materials used for forming package boxes are such as plastic material, paper material or metal material, etc, wherein the paper material is the most popular selection on the fabrication of package box, for a paper package box has the advantages of easy fabrication, lower technical threshold, lower cost, easily being printed on and totally recyclable for reuse, etc. The package box applicable to the present invention can be a hand-carrying box, a pretty box/sleeve, a past-sealed box, a pizza box or a carton, etc., and the recycled product converted therefrom can be a product not used for packaging purpose, such as a file box, a collection container, an organizer chest (combined with a collection container or a carton), or a toy, etc. The aforementioned types materials of the package box, and the aforementioned types of the recycled product are merely stated as examples for explanation, and the present invention also can be regenerated to a series of stationeries, toys or collectors, etc., so that the present invention is not limited thereto. Hereinafter several preferred embodiments are used for further explaining the present invention.  
     Embodiment 1  
      Referring to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B ,  FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a hand-carrying box that can be regenerated into a file box, and  FIG. 1B  is a schematic development diagram showing the hand-carrying box that can be regenerated into the file box according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The hand-carrying box  100  is composed of a plurality of packaging components, and the respective packaging components include a first upper cover  110 , a second upper cover  120 , side flaps  130   a  and  130   b,  first front panel portion  140   a  and  140   b,  a first side panel portion  150 , second front panel portions  160   a  and  160   b,  and a second side panel portion  170 , wherein perforation lines  102   a  and  102   b,  perforation lines  104   a  and  104   b,  a perforation line  106  and perforation lines  108   a  and  108   b  are respectively formed on the packaging components. Those perforation lines construct a predetermined form pattern for recycling purpose (such as a file box), thereby converting the hand-carrying box  100  into a file box  190 . Such as shown in  FIG. 1A , the first upper cover  110  is first removed along the perforation line  102   a;  and then, the second upper cover  120  is removed along the perforation line  102   b;  and then, the side flaps  130   a  and  130   b  are removed along the perforation lines  108   a  and  108   b;  and thereafter, the first front panel portion  140   a  (such as shown in  FIG. 1B ), the first front panel portion  140   b  and the first side panel portion  150  are respectively removed along the perforation line  104   a  (such as shown in  FIG. 1B ), the perforation line  104   b  and the perforation line  106 , thereby converting the hand-carry box  100  into the file box  190 .  
      Further, such as shown in  FIG. 1B , the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose according to the present invention can be described as follows. At first, a flat board (such as a paperboard) is provided. Thereafter, a first form pattern is formed on the flat board (such as the outline shown in  FIG. 1B ), and the first form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the hand-carrying box. Meanwhile, a second form pattern is formed inside the first form pattern, wherein the second form pattern is composed of the perforation lines  102   a  and  102   b,  the perforation lines  104   a  and  104   b,  the perforation line  106  and the perforation lines  108   a  and  108   b.  The second form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the file box.  
      Thereafter, a first flat board portion is formed in accordance with the first form pattern (i.e. the outline shown in  FIG. 1B ), and the hand-carrying box can be assembled after the first flat board portion is folded along the fold lines (such as the dashed lined shown in  FIG. 1B ).  
      Then, a second flat board portion is formed in accordance with the second form pattern (including the second front panel portions  160   a  and  160   b,  and the second side panel portion  170 ). The file box can be assembled after the second flat board portion is folded along the fold lines.  
     Embodiment 2  
      Referring to  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a pretty box/sleeve that can be regenerated into a file box, and  FIG. 2B  is a schematic development diagram showing the pretty box/sleeve that can be regenerated into the file box according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pretty box/sleeve  200  is composed of a plurality of packaging components, and the respective packaging components include an upper cover  210 , side flaps  230   a  and  230   b,  first front panel portion  240   a  and  240   b,  a first side panel portion  250 , second front panel portions  260   a  and  260   b,  and a second side panel portion  270 , wherein a perforation line  202 , perforation lines  204   a  and  204   b,  a perforation line  206  and perforation lines  208   a  and  208   b  are respectively formed on the packaging components. Those perforation lines construct a predetermined form pattern for recycling purpose (such as a file box), thereby converting the pretty box/sleeve  200  into a file box  290 . Such as shown in  FIG. 2A , the upper cover  210  is first removed along the perforation line  202 ; and then, the side flaps  230   a  and  230   b  are removed along the perforation lines  208   a  and  208   b;  and thereafter, the first front panel portion  240   a  (such as shown in  FIG. 2B ), the first front panel portion  240   b  and the first side panel portion  250  are respectively removed along the perforation line  204   a (such as shown in  FIG. 2B ), the perforation line  204   b  and the perforation line  206 , thereby converting the pretty box/sleeve  200  into the file box  290 .  
      Further, such as shown in  FIG. 2B , the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose according to the present invention can be described as follows. At first, a flat board (such as a paperboard) is provided. Thereafter, a first form pattern is formed on the flat board (such as the outline shown in  FIG. 2B ), and the first form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the pretty box/sleeve. Meanwhile, a second form pattern is formed inside the first form pattern, wherein the second form pattern is composed of the perforation lines  202 , the perforation lines  204   a  and  204   b,  the perforation line  206  and the perforation lines  208   a  and  208   b.  The second form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the file box.  
      Thereafter, a first flat board portion (i.e. the outline shown in  FIG. 2B ) is formed in accordance with the first form pattern by for example tearing the flat board along the perforation lines, and the pretty box/sleeve can be assembled after the first flat board portion is folded along the fold lines (such as the dashed lined shown in  FIG. 2B ).  
      Then, a second flat board portion is formed in accordance with the second form pattern (including the second front panel portions  260   a  and  260   b,  and the second side panel portion  270 ). The file box can be assembled after the second flat board portion is folded along the fold lines.  
     Embodiment 3  
      Referring to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a pizza box that can be regenerated into a collection container, and  FIG. 3B  is a schematic development diagram showing the pizza box that can be regenerated into the collection container according to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pizza box  300  is composed of a plurality of packaging components, and the respective packaging components include a first upper cover  310 , a second upper cover  330 , first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b,  second side flaps  340   a  and  340   b,  and a box main body  350 , wherein a perforation line  302 , a perforation line  304 , perforation lines  306   a  and  306   b,  and perforation lines  308   a  and  308   b  are respectively formed on the packaging components. Those perforation lines construct a predetermined form pattern for recycling purpose (such as a collection container), thereby converting the pizza box  300  into a collection container  390 . Such as shown in  FIG. 3A , the second side flaps  340   a  and  340   b  are first removed along the perforation lines  308   a  and  308   b;  and then, the second upper cover  330  is removed along the perforation line  302 ; and thereafter, the first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b  are respectively removed along the perforation lines  306   a  and  306   b;  and then, the second upper cover  330  is removed along the perforation line  302 ; and thereafter, the first upper cover  310  is removed along the perforation line  304 ; and then the second upper cover  330  and the first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b  are respectively placed inside the box main body  350 , and the notches of the first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b  are respectively engaged with those of the second upper cover  330 , thereby converting the pizza box  300  into the collection container  390 .  
      Further, such as shown in  FIG. 3B , the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose according to the present invention can be described as follows. At first, a flat board (such as a paperboard) is provided. Thereafter, a first form pattern is formed on the flat board (such as the outline shown in  FIG. 3B ), and the first form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the pizza box. Meanwhile, a second form pattern is formed inside the first form pattern, wherein the second form pattern is composed of the perforation line  302 , the perforation line  304 , the perforation lines  306   a  and  306   b,  and the perforation lines  308   a  and  308   b  in addition to several fold lines (such as the dashed lines shown in  FIG. 3B ). The second form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the collection container.  
      Thereafter, a first flat board portion (i.e. the outline shown in  FIG. 3B ) is formed in accordance with the first form pattern, and the pizza box can be assembled after the first flat board portion is folded along the fold lines.  
      Then, a second flat board portion is formed in accordance with the second form pattern (such as the box main body  350 ). Thereafter, the second flat board portion is folded along the fold lines, and the second upper cover  330 and the first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b  are respectively placed in the box main body  350 , and the notches of the first side flaps  320   a  and  320   b  are respectively engaged with those of the second upper cover  330 , so as to completely form the collection container.  
     Embodiment 4  
      Referring to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B ,  FIG. 4A  is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a carton that can be regenerated into a organizer chest, and  FIG. 4B  is a schematic development diagram showing the carton that can be regenerated into the organizer chest according to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The carton  400  is composed of a plurality of packaging components, and the respective packaging components include cover panels  410   a  and  410   b,  panels  420   a  and  420   b,  panels  430   a  and  430   b,  panels  440   a  and  440   b,  and side panels  410   c,    420   c,    430   c  and  440   c,  wherein perforation lines  412   a  and  412   b,  perforation line  422   a  and  422   b,  perforation lines  432   a  and  432   b,  and perforation lines  442   a  and  442   b  are respectively formed on the packaging components. There are such as three sets of cutting lines  406   a/   402   a  and fold lines  407   a/   408   a/   404   a  formed on the side panel  410   c;  and there are such as three sets of cutting lines  406   b/   402   b  and fold lines  407   b/   408   b/   404   b  formed on the side panel  430   c,  wherein the cutting lines  406   b/   402   b  and the fold lines  407   b/   408   b/   404   b  are respectively corresponding to the cutting lines  406   a/   402   a  and the fold lines  407   a/   408   a/   404   a.  Those perforation lines construct a predetermined form pattern for recycling purpose (such as an organizer chest frame), thereby converting the carton  400  into an organizer chest frame  490 . Such as shown in  FIG. 4A , the cover panels  410   a  and  410   b  are first removed along the perforation lines  412   a  and  412   b;  and then, the cover panels  420   a  and  420   b  are removed along the perforation lines  422   a  and  422   b;  and thereafter, the cover panels  430   a  and  430   b  are removed along the perforation lines  432   a  and  432   b,  and then, the cover panels  440   a  and  440   b  are removed along the perforation lines  442   a  and  442   b,  and thereafter the paper frame formed thereby is uprighted. Then, side panel portions  416   a  and  414   a  are detached from the side panel  410   c  along the perforation line  406   a,  and are merely connected to the side panel  410   c  via the fold line  404   a;  and side panel portions  416   b  and  414   b  are detached from the side panel  430   c  along the perforation line  406   b,  and are merely connected to the side panel  430   c  via the fold line  404   b.  Thereafter, openings  452   a  are formed in the side panel  410   c  along the cutting lines  402   a;  another openings (not shown) are formed in the side panel  430   c  along the cutting lines  402   b.  Then, the side panel portions  416   a  and  414   a  are folded inwards along the fold lines  404   a  so as to form openings  450   a;  and the side panel portions  416   b  and  414   b  are folded inwards along the fold lines  404   b  so as to form openings  450   b.  The flanges of the side panel portions  416   a  are folded into the openings  452   a  along the fold lines  407   a  and  408   a  so as to form supports  454   a;  and the flanges of the side panel portions  416   b  are folded into the openings (not sown) along the fold lines  407   b  and  408   b  so as to form supports  454   b.  Consequently, the carton  400  can be converted into the organizer chest frame  490 . After the collection container  390  is placed into the organizer chest frame  490  and is positioned on the supports  454   a  and  454   b,  the organizer chest regenerated from the carton  400  can thus be completed.  
      Further, such as shown in  FIG. 4B , the method for fabricating the package box achieving recycling purpose according to the present invention can be described as follows. At first, a flat board (such as a paperboard) is provided. Thereafter, a first form pattern is formed on the flat board (such as the outline shown in  FIG. 4B  including fold lines as shown in dashed lines), and the first form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the carton. Meanwhile, a second form pattern in formed inside the first form pattern, wherein the second form pattern is composed of the perforation lines  412   a  and  412   b,  the perforation lines  422   a  and  422   b,  the perforation lines  432   a  and  432   b,  the perforation lines  442   a  and  442   b,  and a plurality of cutting lines  406   a  and  406   b  in addition to several fold lines (such as the dashed lines shown in  FIG. 4B ; such as a plurality of fold lines  407   a  and  407   b,  and a plurality of fold lines  408   a  and  408   b ). The second form pattern is the development diagram used for fabricating the organizer chest frame.  
      Thereafter, a first flat board portion (i.e. the outline shown in  FIG. 4B ) is formed in accordance with the first form pattern, and the carton can be assembled after the first flat board portion is folded along the fold lines.  
      Then, a second flat board portion is formed in accordance with the second form pattern (such as the side panels  410   c,    420   c,    430   c  and  440   c ), and a plurality of openings are respectively formed on the side panels  410   c  and  430   c,  and a plurality of side panel portions  416   a  and  414   a  and plurality of side panel portions  416   b  and  414   b  are respectively separated therefrom. Thereafter, the side panel portions  416   a  and  414   a  are folded along the fold lines  404   a;  and the side panel portions  416   b  and  414   b  are folded along the fold lines  404   b.  Then, the flanges of the side panel portions  416   a  are folded into the openings  452   a  along the fold lines  407   a  and  408   a  so as to form supports; and the flanges of the side panel portions  416   b  are folded into the openings along the fold lines  407   b  and  408   b  so as to form supports. Consequently, the carton  400  can be converted into the organizer chest frame, wherein the supports are used to sustain the collection container shown in  FIG. 3A .  
      It is worthy to be noted that the present invention may further form a third form pattern inside the second form pattern described above, wherein the third form pattern is a development diagram for fabricating another recycled product. Theoretically, the present invention can continuously form a smaller form pattern inside the current form pattern as many as possible until the flat board is too small to be used.  
      Hence, it can be known from the aforementioned embodiments that the present invention has the following advantages. A package box can be briefly converted into a recycled product applicable to daily life, thereby preventing the package box from being discarded, thus reducing environmental burden and resource waste.  
      As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.