Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/603,649 filed on Feb. 27, 2012, the contents and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to a box. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Box stacking strength is dictated primarily by the quantity of vertical walls (sidewalls and end walls) with their corrugations running in the vertical direction. Panels with corrugations running horizontally contribute little to crush resistance. It is thus desirable to increase the quantity of sidewall and end wall panels with vertical corrugations in both file bottom and automatic bottom style file storage boxes. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]    This disclosure features a box for file storage and the like. The box is made from a unitary blank of material that is partially preassembled by the manufacturer into a box form. The box form is then assembled (typically by the user) into the final box. The box, when assembled, has four interconnected vertical walls (two sidewalls and two end walls) that define an open storage volume between them. The vertical walls are typically each rectangular in shape, to define a generally rectangular prism-shaped storage volume. 
         [0005]    Featured herein are two different box designs that achieve superior stacking strength for record file boxes. When complete, one design forms double wall length panels and quadruple wall width panels with a manually assembled, double thick flat bottom. The other design forms double wall length panels and triple wall width panels along with an auto assembly easy fold bottom design. The first design is a file bottom design with a double thick flat bottom that is formed when the bottom is manually assembled, creating a smooth surface that is less prone to catching on storage shelving. Automatic bottom style boxes have bottoms that assemble and fold into place automatically as the box form is pushed into the assembled box. The automatic bottom has an irregular surface that can catch on shelving. Automatic bottom style boxes are thus very easy to assemble, but are typically not well suited for use in situations in which the boxes are going to be stored on shelves. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment a pre-folded automatic bottom box form is made from a unitary blank of material and comprises a blank of corrugated material that is die cut and creased so as to form a series of panels and flaps arranged in three rows of four panels or flaps each and a fourth row with two panels, all arranged in four columns, a first row comprising four panels that define an automatic bottom of the box, a second row comprising four panels that define sidewall and end wall panels of the box, a third row contiguous with the second row and comprising four panels that define reinforcing sidewall and end wall panels of the box, and a fourth row coupled to the third row and comprising first and second panels that form additional end wall reinforcing panels. The two panels of the fourth row are folded onto and fastened to the two contiguous panels of the third row, such as by using an adhesive. The blank is then folded along two fold lines located between columns, and the edges of the end panels of the second row are fastened together, to create the completed form. The edges of the end panels of the second row can be fastened together by gluing, stitching or stapling. Also featured is a box created from this pre-folded box form. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment a pre-folded file bottom box form is made from a unitary blank of material and comprises a blank of corrugated material that is die cut and creased so as to form a series of panels and flaps arranged in three rows of four panels or flaps each and a fourth row with two panels, all arranged in four columns, a first row comprising four panels that end up in the box as the bottom and end wall reinforcing flaps, a second row comprising four panels that end up in the box as sidewall and end wall panels, a third row contiguous with the second row and comprising four panels that end up in the box as reinforcing sidewall and end wall panels, and a fourth row coupled to the third row and comprising first and second panels making additional end wall reinforcing panels. The two panels of the fourth row are folded onto and fastened to the two contiguous panels of the third row, such as using an adhesive. The blank is then folded along two fold lines located between columns, and the edges of the end panels of the second row are fastened together, to create the completed form. The edges of the end panels of the second row can be fastened together by gluing, stitching or stapling. Also featured is a box created from this pre-folded box form. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the innovation, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of various embodiments of the innovation. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a blank used to create an automatic lock bottom type file storage box, before it is folded and glued to create the box form. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show both sides of the flat box form made from the blank of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a blank used to create a file bottom type file storage box, before it is folded and glued to create the box form. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show both sides of the flat box form made from the blank of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    One arrangement of an automatic bottom file storage box is formed from the unitary blank of material  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . Blank  10  may be constructed of any material that will form a stiff panel surface. Preferably, blank  10  is made from a single thickness corrugated material (corrugated paper or corrugated plastic); that is a material with two layers of linerboard separated by a single layer of fluted material. Such a corrugated material can be constructed from different substances, as is known in the art. The material can have several different constructions. Corrugated material is typically constructed from fiber materials or plastic materials. 
         [0014]    Blank  10  is formed through die cutting and creasing of corrugated material as is known in the art. Blank  10  essentially defines four rows of panels and flaps labeled A, B, C and D, and four columns of panels and flaps labeled E, F, G and H. As illustrated, the panels in each column are foldably coupled to each other. Accordingly, in column E, panels  32 ,  34 , and  52  are foldably coupled to each other along seams  33  and  35 , respectively. In column F, panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  56 , and  58  are foldably coupled to each other along seams  13 ,  15 ,  17 , and  57 , respectively. In column G, panels  42 ,  44 , and  54  are foldably coupled to each other along seams  43  and  45 , respectively. In column H, panels  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  60 , and  62  are foldably coupled to each other along seams  23 ,  35 ,  27 , and  61 , respectively. Additionally, the panels  32 ,  14 ,  42 , and  24  in row C define spaces  70 ,  71 ,  72  disposed therebetween which allow independent relative movement among the panels  32 ,  14 ,  42 ,  24 . Accordingly, panel  32  can be folded along seam  33  independent from panel  14 , panel  14  can be folded along seam  15  independent from panels  32  and  42 , and panel  42  can be rotated along seam  42  independent from panels  14  and  24 . 
         [0015]    Panels  12 ,  14 , and  16 , once assembled, form a first triple thickness end wall, with the corrugation in all three panels running vertically along axis  82  to maximize crush resistance. Similarly, panels  22 ,  24 , and  26 , once assembled, form a second triple thickness end wall, with the corrugation in all three panels running vertically along axis  82  to maximize crush resistance. Panels  42  and  44 , once assembled, form a first double thickness sidewall, with the corrugation in both panels running vertically along axis  82  to maximize crush resistance. Similarly, panels  32  and  34 , once assembled, form a second double thickness sidewall, with the corrugation in both panels running vertically along axis  82  to maximize crush resistance. Panels or flaps  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  60  form the bottom of the box with panel  54  on the inside and overlying the other panels to provide load bearing strength to the inside bottom of the box. Portion  58  of panel  56  is secured to panel  52 , and portion  62  of panel  60  is secured to panel  54  to create an automatic bottom. 
         [0016]    During assembly, the pre-folded box form is created from blank  10  as follows. Beginning with form  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , an assembler folds panels  12  and  22  about seams  13  and  23  and onto panels  14  and  24 , respectively. The assembler then secures panel  12  to panel  14 , as well as panel  22  to panel  24 , using a fastening mechanism, such as an adhesive, to form sets of double walled panels. The assembler then folds flap  52  onto panel  34  along fold line or score  35  and folds flap  56  along fold line or score  17  to panel  16  while, at substantially the same time, reverse folding flap  58  along score  57  in the opposite direction. With such assembly, flap  58  is disposed against flap  57  while flap  57  is disposed against panel  16 . The assembler then folds flap  54  along score  45  onto panel  44 . Next, the assembler folds flap  60  along score  27  onto panel  26  while reverse folding flap  62  along score  61 . The assembler then folds panel  34  along score  72  and panel  26  along score  74  such that flap extension  80  contacts one of the interior or exterior of flap  34  and couples to the flap  34  via an adhesive or other attachment mechanism. This creates the flat, pre-folded box form  82  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         [0017]    To assemble the box form into a box, an end user opens the flat pre-folded box form to form a rectangle (i.e., such that the adjacent walls of columns E, F, G, and H are substantially perpendicular to each other). As this box is squared up to form a rectangle, bottom panels  52 ,  56 ,  54 , and  60 , which have been preassembled and adhered to one another, pull themselves into position by the force of squaring the box so that flaps  52 ,  56 ,  54 , and  60  are now substantially parallel to the floor and substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls  34 ,  16 ,  44 , and  26 . Flap  54  is disposed on the innermost portion of the bottom of the box with the other flaps supporting it. 
         [0018]    To assemble the box form  82  into a box, an end user folds combined panels  12  and  14  (i.e., a double walled panel) along seam  15  and onto panel  16 . The user then folds combined panels  22  and  24  (i.e., a double walled panel) along seam  25  and onto panel  26 . This forms opposing triple paneled walls of the box. The end user then folds panel  32  along seam  33  onto panel  34  and folds panel  42  along seam  43  and onto panel  44 . This forms opposing double paneled walls of the box. This completes the assembly. 
         [0019]    The above-described configuration increases the number of width panels to three (i.e., the combination of panels  12 ,  14 , and  16  and the combination of panels  22 ,  24 , and  26 ) and increases the number of side wall panels to two (i.e., the combination of panels  42  and  44  and the combination of panels  32  and  34 ) relative to conventional boxes. The configuration increases the vertical strength of the final assembled box compared to conventional boxes. 
         [0020]    One arrangement of a file bottom file storage box is formed from the unitary blank of material  100  shown in  FIG. 3 . Blank  100  may be constructed of any material that forms a stiff panel surface. Preferably, blank  100  is made from a single thickness corrugated material (corrugated paper or corrugated plastic); that is a material with two layers of linerboard separated by a single layer of fluted material. Such a corrugated material can be constructed from different substances, as is known in the art. The material can have several different constructions. Corrugated material is typically constructed from fiber materials or plastic materials. 
         [0021]    Blank  100  is formed through die cutting and creasing of corrugated material as is known in the art. Blank  100  essentially defines four rows of panels and flaps labeled A, B, C and D, and four columns of panels and flaps labeled E, F, G and H. Panels  112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  156  are configured to form one quadruple thickness end wall, with the corrugation in three of the panels ( 112 ,  114  and  116 ) running vertically along axis  182  to maximize crush resistance. Similarly, panels  122 ,  124 ,  126  and  158  are configured to form a second quadruple thickness end wall, with the corrugation in three of the panels ( 122 ,  124  and  126 ) running vertically along axis  182  to maximize crush resistance. Panels  142  and  144  are configured to form a double thickness sidewall, with the corrugation in both panels running vertically along axis  182  to maximize crush resistance. Additionally, panels  132  and  134  are configured to form a double thickness sidewall, with the corrugation in both panels running vertically along axis  182  to maximize crush resistance. Panels  152  and  154  are configured to form the bottom of the box, with panel  152  configured to be disposed on an interior portion of the box. 
         [0022]    During assembly, the pre-folded box form is created from blank  100  as follows. Beginning with form  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 , an assembler folds panels  112  and  122  about seams  113  and  123  and onto panels  114  and  124 , respectively. The assembler then secures panel  112  to panel  114 , as well as panel  122  to panel  124 , using a fastening mechanism, such as an adhesive. The assembler then folds the form  100  along fold lines  172 , and  174 , respectively, and secures extension flap  180  to an outer portion of panel  126 , such as by using an adhesive. This creates the flat pre-folded box form shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . 
         [0023]    To assemble the box form into a box, an end user opens the flat pre-folded box form to form a rectangle (i.e., such that the adjacent walls of columns E, F, G, and H are substantially perpendicular to each other) and folds certain panels into the box, thereby allowing the panels to mechanically interlock and form the bottom of the box. 
         [0024]    For example, the end user forms the box bottom by rotating panel  152  along line  135  up into the box interior and against panel  134 . The end user then folds flaps  156  and  158  about lines  155 ,  157 , respectively and onto panel  154 . The end user then rotates panel  154  along line  145 , into the interior of the box, and disposes the panel  154  against panel  144 . The end user can then rotate the panel  154  down  90  degrees to panel  144  about line  145  to form the outer bottom of the box and can fold flaps  156  and  158  up from the panel  154  and about lines  155  and  157 , respectively, until the flaps  156  and  158  contact walls  116  and  126 , respectively. The end user can then rotate panel  152  about line  135  and down onto panel  154  to form the inner bottom of the box. 
         [0025]    Next, the end user can fold the combination of panels  112  and  114  (panel  112  having been previously secured to panel  114 ) about seam  115  and over panels  116  and  156 . Additionally, the end user can fold the combination of panels  122  and  124  (panel  122  having been previously secured to panel  124 ) about seam  125  and over panels  126  and  158 . This forms opposing box walls having quadruple wall width panels. The end user can then fold panel  142  about seam  143  to contact panel  144  and can fold panel  132  about seam  133  to contact panel  134 . This forms opposing box walls having double wall length panels. 
         [0026]    The above-described configuration increases the number of sidewall panels to four (i.e., the combination of panels  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  156  and the combination of panels  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  158 ) and increases the number of end wall panels to two (i.e., the combination of panels  142  and  144  and the combination of panels  132  and  134 ) relative to conventional boxes. The configuration increases the vertical strength of the final assembled box compared to conventional boxes. 
         [0027]    While various embodiments of the innovation have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the innovation as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: b