DE9115273U1 - Folding box - Google Patents

Description

Description Folding box

The invention relates to a folding box with the preamble features of claim 1.

Such folding boxes are used to hold food cups or glasses, for example yogurt cups, in order to protect them from damage during transport and, if necessary, multiple reloading. In addition, such folding boxes should present an appealing image for the customer when sold. During transport, a secure closure of the folding box is particularly required so that it does not open even if the packaging is handled roughly. On the other hand, however, the packaging should be easy for sales staff to open in the store so that the goods can be sorted and presented quickly. Such folding boxes are often additionally wrapped in plastic film to ensure a secure closure during transport and reloading, so that the folding box cannot open even if it is "stored upside down" and reloaded. Another common packaging closure is achieved by inserting tabs, which are additionally glued to ensure a secure closure. However, wrapping with plastic film or gluing closure flaps is relatively complex when packaging the folding box. In addition, a certain curing time for the glue may have to be taken into account when gluing the flaps. Wrapping with plastic film, on the other hand, creates additional waste that is difficult to recycle, making disposal of the folding box more expensive.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a folding box which enables easy opening, secure closure during transport and simple production.

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This object is achieved by a folding box with the features of claim 1.

The design of the closure flap from two flap parts that are folded into each other by approximately 170° and inserted into a narrow closure recess results in a positive anchoring of the lid to the bottom part of the folding box. The closure recess is designed in such a way that the folded flap part at the end cannot move in the narrow closure recess when loaded between the closely spaced boundary walls, and thus the lid could be pulled out. The folded flap part forms approximately the diagonal of the closure recess, which is approximately rectangular in cross section, with the inner boundary wall preventing the lower folding point between the two flap parts from moving.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the inner boundary wall is formed by the goods containers themselves after they have been inserted into the base part. This saves a separate inner boundary wall and thus the outer wall of the goods container used is used to support the closure flap. This also makes the production of the closure recesses particularly easy, since the side pocket for the closure recess can be produced using the same tool as the circular cutouts for the receiving openings of the goods containers.

Further advantageous embodiments are the subject of the subclaims.

An embodiment is explained and described in more detail below using the drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the folding box;

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Fig. 2 a cross section along the section line X-X at the edge

a closure recess; and Fig. 3 a one-piece blank for the folding box.

Fig. 1 shows an erected folding box 1 with can-shaped goods containers 2. The goods containers 2 are inserted into circular receiving openings 3 in a base part 4 of the folding box 1 before closing it with a lid 5. As can be seen, the shorter sides of the lid 5 are left open, but can also be closed. The number of goods containers selected here is only an example. For smaller goods containers 2, a larger number of correspondingly shaped receiving openings 3 can also be provided.

On the front side of the lid 5 facing the viewer, two closure tabs 8 are provided on the lower edge 6, which engage in slot-shaped closure recesses 7 arranged in the base part 4. It should be noted that just a single central closure tab 8 would be sufficient to securely close the folding box 1, with the corresponding closure recess 7 being arranged approximately in the middle of the longitudinal edge of the base part 4, as shown in dash-dotted lines.

According to the innovation, the closure tab 8 consists of two tab parts P and R of approximately the same length, folded over against each other by approximately 170°, whereby the tab part R springs up slightly after the closure tab 8 is inserted into the closure recess 7 and thus ensures a positive locking of the lid 5 with respect to the base part 4. The width of the slot-shaped closure recess 7 is selected so that it is slightly more than the thickness of the two tab parts P and R for easy insertion of the closure tab.

In Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the folding box 1 along the section line X-X shown in Fig. 1 at the edge of a

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Closure recess shown slightly enlarged. The closure recess 7, into which the closure tab 8 extends with the tab parts P and R, is formed laterally by an inner and outer boundary wall 9, 10. The distance (width b) between the two boundary walls 9 and 10 is chosen so that they are as close together as possible and in any case do not occupy a greater distance than the upright length 1 of the tab part R. This prevents the fold between the tab parts P and R, which is at the lowest point, from moving to the left when the lid 5 is pulled open, and thus the tab part R could fold over the horizontal and thus the closure tab 8 could be pulled out of the closure recess 7. In a preferred embodiment, the tab part R assumes approximately the diagonal position shown here of the closure recess 7, which is rectangular in cross section. In a preferred embodiment, the inner boundary wall 9 is formed by the outer wall of the goods container 2 itself, so that the fold between the tab parts P and R is supported against the goods container 2. This cannot move inwards when loaded, since it is supported by the correspondingly shaped receiving opening 3. Alternatively, the inner boundary wall 9 could also be formed by a double fold 9' in the base C, shown here in dash-dot lines, or by an additionally glued-in rear wall or by a step in the base C, so that when the lid 5 is lifted, a lateral evasive movement of the lower fold (here to the left) between the tab parts P and R is prevented.

A perforation 11 is preferably provided on the end edge 6 of the lid 5 at the transition to the closure flap 8, so that the lid 5 can be torn off when it is set up in the shop, with the closure flap 8 remaining in the recessed closure recess 7. If recycling of the folding box is desired, an opening 14 (see Fig. 1) can also be provided in the front area for each closure flap 8, so that a pen, the finger of the

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The operator or the like can push the tab part R back and thus the closure tab 8 can be pulled out of the closure recess 7 again when the tab parts P and R are placed close together. The opening 14 can have a diameter of a few millimeters for inserting a pen or of two to three centimeters for inserting a fingertip.

It should be noted that, in contrast to the one-piece design of the folding box 1 shown here, the base part 4 and the lid 5 can also be designed separately from one another and thus similar closure openings and closure tabs can be provided on the back (in field D, E) as here on the front, so that the lid 5 can be placed and inserted onto the base part 4, preferably by machine. It should also be noted that by inserting the lid 5 on the front shown here, a slope 15 is created, which means that the folding box can be held particularly securely when repacking. In addition, the inward-facing slope 15 also creates a handle-like step 16 on the base part 4, so that the folding box 1 can be easily gripped even when stored overhead, which makes it easier to use palletizing robots, for example.

In Fig. 3, a cardboard blank 13 for the folding box 1 according to Fig. 1 is shown. The base part 4 consists essentially of the fields A, B, C and D, whereby the six receiving openings 3 are punched into field A. After appropriately folding and turning over the parts A to D along the dashed fold lines, the crate-like base part 4 for inserting the goods containers 2 is created in the usual way. As can be seen, the closure recess 7 can be easily punched out together with the receiving openings 3. The lid 5 is made of the fields E, F and G, on the end edge 6 of which the two closure tabs 8 with the two tab parts P and R are molded. Between the field E, which forms the back of the lid 5, and the field D

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just as between the closure flaps 8 and the lid front G perforations 11, 12 are provided. It should be noted that the lid 5 does not necessarily have to be continuous but can also have recesses or openings to make it easier to see the goods container 2, but still reliably supports the goods container 2 upwards. Additional folding lines can also be applied in field F of the lid 5 in order, for example, to set up the lid 5 like a tab after loosening it at the perforation 11 for additional product presentation.

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Claims (12)

-1 claims 1. Folding box for receiving containers for goods, in particular food cups or glasses, in appropriately shaped receiving openings in the bottom part of the folding box, with a lid for at least partially covering the containers for goods, with at least one closure tab being provided on one edge for insertion into a closure recess provided in the bottom part, characterized in that the closure flap (8) consists of two flap parts (P, R) folded against each other and the closure recess (7) - viewed in cross-section - a width (b) between two opposing boundary walls (9, 10) that is smaller than the length (1) of the folded tab part (R). 2. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure recess (7) is open towards the receiving opening (3) for the goods container (2) and the inner boundary wall (9) is formed by the outer wall of the inserted goods container (2) itself. 3. Folding box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base part (4) is formed from a continuous base (C) and an insert (A) running parallel at a distance above it with punched-in receiving openings (3), the closure recess (7) being arranged in the front region of the base part (4). 4. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the folding box (1) is cuboid-shaped. 5. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the closure flap (8) on the FY 21144 DE PA Kahler & Käck 5 December 1991 -2- transition area to the lid (5) has tear-off perforations (11). 6. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lid (5) has perforations (12) at the rear transition to the base part (4). 7. Folding box according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the perforations (11, 12) are arranged on the level of the receiving openings (3). 8. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the folding box is folded from a one-piece cardboard blank (13). 9. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in the base part (4) in the area of the closure recess (7) at least one opening (14) for pushing back the tab part (R) of the closure tab (8) is provided. 10. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lid (5) is designed separately from the base part (4) and after inserting the goods container (2) into the base part (4), the lid (5) can be inserted into at least two closure recesses (7) located opposite one another on the edges of the base part (4). 11. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the inner boundary wall (9) of the closure recess (7) is folded in one piece from the base (C) by an inwardly directed double fold (9'). 12. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the inner boundary wall (9) is glued in before the closing of the base part (4). FY 21144 DE PA Kahler & Käck 5 December 1991