EP4091955A1

EP4091955A1 - Kit for realizing a box

Info

Publication number: EP4091955A1
Application number: EP22170322.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Renzo GALASSI
Original assignee: Galassi SNC Di Galassi Roberto&renzo
Current assignee: Galassi SNC Di Galassi Roberto&renzo
Priority date: 2021-04-29
Filing date: 2022-04-27
Publication date: 2022-11-23

Abstract

Kit for realizing a box (100) comprising a sheet element (1) of flexible material provided with two first ending edges (10a) in parallel opposite position and two second ending edges (10b) in parallel opposite position; said sheet element (1) is suitable for being folded in such way to have a substantially tubular shape with the first ending edges (10a) in side by side position; said sheet element (1) comprising two opposite handles (2) disposed in opposite position on the two first ending edges (10a); the handles (2) are disposed side by side when the sheet element (1) is folded, defining a handle for holding the box (100); the box (100) also comprises at least one plate (3) connected to the sheet element (1) in the proximity of one of the second ending edges (10b), and a retention means (4) that surrounds the two handles (2) in such a way to tighten said handles (2).

Description

The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a kit for realizing a newly conceived box.
The field of reference of the present invention is that of boxes or, more generally, containers suitable for holding a glass bottle that contains wine, beer, spirits or liquids in general.
The prior art comprises various types of boxes, as numerous inventors and box manufacturers have given full play to their imagination.
A first type of boxes in the prior art is made of wood and forms a real box inside which a bottle is placed. While these types of wooden boxes are extremely elegant and can also be used as furniture pieces, they are extremely expensive and therefore they are only used the packaging of premium bottles. Advantageously, one or more sections of rope or the like are attached to the box, acting as handles that allow a user to carry the packaging box comfortably with one hand.
In a second type of boxes of the prior art, said boxes are made of cardboard and are obviously cheaper than wooden boxes.
The aforementioned cardboard boxes are made from a single, flat cardboard blank which can be folded in such a way as to go from a flat configuration of minimum dimensions to a volume configuration in which it has a parallelepiped shape. The box is blocked in its volume configuration by means of teeth that are engaged in special slots.
The disadvantage of these boxes consists in their poor reliability. In fact, during transportation, the weight of the bottle acting on the box may remove the teeth from the slots, consequently unfolding the cardboard blank and removing the bottle from the box. It is easy to understand that if a glass bottle is placed inside the box, the impact of the bottle on the ground will break the bottle and will spill the liquid contained inside the bottle.
Precisely because of their unreliability, these boxes are made without handles, forcing the user to carry them with the aid of a bag or by holding them horizontally with both hands.
In order to provide such boxes with handles, it is necessary to prevent the unfolding of the boxes under the weight of their contents. Therefore, in order to make such boxes more reliable, the various parts of the blank are connected together not only by means of the aforementioned teeth inserted into corresponding slots, but also by means of glues or adhesive layers.
The provision of glue or adhesive layers makes the box more stable in its volume, thus allowing the user to carry it safely holding it by the handle without worrying about the risk that the box may be unfolded at any moment.
However, the boxes that use glue or adhesives are impaired by drawbacks and problems. First of all, the glue or adhesive must be applied with extreme care and precision. Such a high degree of precision inevitably results in long production times for the box.
In addition, the use of glues or adhesives makes the box environmentally unfriendly in terms of disposal.
Furthermore, the glues do not allow the box to be reversible, meaning that the box cannot be assembled and disassembled at will. This means that, after such a box has been realized, they can no longer be disposed in flat configuration of minimal dimensions.
US2019072235A1 discloses a system for transporting a pressurized vessel with a valve. The transport system comprises a member folded on itself so as to form a tubular element defined as transportation housing wherein the gas cylinder with valve is suitable for being arranged. The transportation system comprises handles and a base plate suitable for being positioned inside the tubular element at one end.
US2015360805A1 discloses a single-sheet tubular food carrier. The tubular packaging comprises a sheet of cardboard that is folded along folding lines, so as to form a tubular structure suitable for containing food products.
KR20110130879A describes a parallelepiped packaging box of stackable type.
DE102007010947A1 describes a cardboard blank for the realization of a one-piece box.
US917384A describes a knockdown or foldable box for transporting berries, fruit or other products.
WO2010121561A1 describes a detachable packaging box comprising a body, a top cover arranged at the top end of the body, a bottom cover arranged at the bottom end of the body and connection straps connecting the top cover and the bottom cover, respectively.
KR202000075263A describes a packaging sheet which is folded on itself in such a way as to define a tubular packaging container for bottles.
The purpose of the present invention to devise a kit for realizing a packaging box that is inexpensive, easy and quick to realize and that can be carried safely in one hand by holding the box from a handle.
An additional scope of the present invention is to devise a kit that allows the box to be assembled and disassembled easily.
A further purpose of the present invention is to devise a kit for realizing a box which is solid and stable and environmentally friendly in terms of disposal.
These purposes are achieved in accordance with the invention with the features listed in the appended independent claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments appear from the dependent claims.
The kit according to the invention is defined by claim 1.
For the sake of explanatory clarity, the description of the kit according to the invention is continued with reference to the appended drawings, which only have an illustrative and non-limiting value, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of a box realized with the kit according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is another axonometric view of the box realized with the kit wherein the retention means are not applied to the handles of the sheet element and the sheet element is slightly unfolded;
Fig. 3 is an axonometric view of the kit according to the invention;
Fig. 4 is a front view of a box realized with a kit according to the invention in an alternative embodiment with respect to the embodiments shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

With reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a kit for realizing a box according to the invention is described.
The box realized with the kit is collectively referred to as 100.
The kit for realizing the box (100) comprises a sheet element (1) of quadrangular shape, made of a flexible material, having two first ending edges (10a) in parallel opposite position and two second ending edges (10b) in parallel opposite position.
The sheet element (1) is shaped in such a way that it can be folded/unfolded between a flat configuration and a folded configuration in which the sheet element (1) is folded upon itself in such a way that it has a substantially tubular shape with the two first ending edges (10a) disposed side by side. When the sheet element (1) is folded, said sheet element (1) defines a side wall of the box (100).
Thus, when folded, the sheet element (1) laterally delimits a compartment wherein a bottle or another similar object is suitable for being stored, for example.
The sheet element (1) comprises a first face (1a) suitable for remaining visible when the sheet element (1) is folded, and a second face (1b) opposite to said first face (1b).
The sheet element (1) comprises two handles (2) disposed in opposite position and arranged on the two first ending edges (10a).
The handles (2) are configured in such a way that, when the sheet element (1) is folded so as to assume said substantially tubular shape, said handles (2) are disposed side by side, defining a handle for holding the box (100).
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the sheet element (1) comprises a foldable blank made of cardboard.
Preferably, the foldable blank is made of corrugated cardboard and comprises two flat coating and finishing layers and at least one layer of corrugated cardboard disposed between the two flat coating and finishing layers. The corrugated layer gives thickness and stability to the blank.
In particular, the cardboard blank shown in the appended figures is a cardboard blank with double wave, wherein two corrugated layers are arranged between the two flat coating and finishing layers and are separated by a flat intermediate cardboard layer.
It should be noted that even if a corrugated cardboard blank is always shown in the appended figures, nothing would not change for the purpose of achieving the objectives pursued by the invention if said cardboard blank were made of honeycomb cardboard or the like.
The sheet element (1), namely the blank, comprises a plurality of portions (10) placed side by side and connected to each other by means of folding lines (L) that extend in parallel direction to the first ending edges (10a).
Needless to say, the number of portions (10) of the sheet element (1) (namely, the blank) affects the shape of the box (100) realized with the kit.
By way of example, as the number of portions (10) increases, the box (100) will tend more and more towards a substantially cylindrical shape.
On the other hand, in the case in which the sheet element (1) has only three portions (10), as shown in Fig. 4, then the box (100) made with the kit will have a substantially tubular shape with triangular section.
Returning to Fig. 1 and 2, each handle (2) is shaped like a bag handle and comprises an opening (20) suitable for being crossed by a user's fingers.
In practice, the user will insert his or her fingers inside the two openings (20) so as to hold both handles (2).
Each handle (2) is connected to a corresponding portion (10) of the sheet element (1) by means of a folding line (L2) wherein the handle (2) is hinged.
In the embodiment shown in the appended figures, the box (100) is suitable for being preferably transported by keeping it in a substantially horizontal position just like a briefcase.
The kit according to the invention further comprises two transverse plates (3) suitable for being connected to the sheet element (1). In particular, the two plates (3) are suitable for being connected to the sheet element (1) at the two ending edges (10b) of the sheet element (1).
Said plates (3) are suitable for acting as opposite transverse walls for the box (100) and they define the compartment of the box (100) anteriorly and posteriorly.
Each plate (3) is made of a rigid material, preferably wood.
The shape of each plate (3) corresponds to the profile of the sheet element (1) when the sheet element (1) is folded. By way of example, if the sheet element (1) defines a side wall of the box with a substantially cylindrical shape (as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3), then said plates (3) will have a circular shape, whereas if the sheet element (1) has a shape with a triangular section (see Fig. 4), then the plates (3) will have a triangular shape.
Fastening means (A, D) are arranged on the plates (3) and on the sheet element (1) and are shaped in such a way that each plate (3) can be fastened to the sheet element (1) when the sheet element (1) is folded.
The fastening means (A, D) comprise slots (A) and teeth (D) inserted into said slots (A), the former being formed on the sheet element (1) and the latter on the plates (3).
In particular, the teeth (D) are obtained on each plate (3) and protrude externally from a perimeter edge (30) of the plate (3).
Said slots (A) are obtained on the sheet element (1) in proximity to each second ending edge (10b).
Preferably, each slot (A) has a smaller dimension than the sectional dimension of each tooth (D).
The insertion of the tooth (10) inside the respective slot (A) (which has a slightly smaller size) ensure a strong and solid fit between the sheet element (1) and the plate (3).
The kit according to the invention is also provided with a retention means (4) suitable for surrounding the two handles (2), when the sheet element (1) is folded, in such a way as to tighten the two handles (2) together so that the sheet element (1) retains its substantially tubular shape.
The retention means (4) comprises a ring made of a rigid material. The retention means (4) is a rectangular ring and comprises two longitudinal sections (41) and two transverse sections (42) that define a central slot (40) suitable for accommodating the handles (2) of the sheet material (1).
Preferably, said retention means (4) is made of wood.
Advantageously, the central slot (20) has a slightly lower width than the total thickness of the two handles (2) disposed side by side.
In this way, the ring is forcedly inserted into the two handles (2), thus generating a strong and solid coupling which prevents the sheet element (1) from being unfolded. Otherwise said, the ring is tightly fitted through the two handles (2) while it is still possible to remove the ring by energetically pulling the ring out.
Following the above description, the numerous advantages of the present invention are now evident.
First of all, the box (100) obtained by means of the kit according to the invention is extremely reliable and safe and can be easily transported by a user holding it with one hand. In fact, the action exerted by the bottle or content, which would result in the unfolding of the sheet element (1) and therefore in the spreading apart of the two handles (2), is contrasted by the tightening action exerted by the retention element (4) which keeps the two handles (2) tightened together and therefore the sheet element (1) in its tubular configuration.
Furthermore, as the box (100) is composed of the plates (3) and of the sheet element (1) that are coupled together in tooth-slot coupling mode, the box (100) can be assembled and disassembled between a space-saving configuration and a volume configuration.
Furthermore, thanks to the coupling of teeth (D) and slots (A), the assembly and disassembly of the box (100) is extremely fast and simple to perform.
In addition, by using the kit comprising the cardboard blank as sheet element (1), the wooden plates (3) and the wooden retention means (4), the box (100) is both economical and environmentally friendly.
Finally, the box (100) realized with the kit according to the invention, shows a considerable structural stability despite the fact that it is free of glues and other adhesives.
Similarly, it should be emphasized that the box obtained by means of the kit is characterized by a rather low cost and a rather solid structure which certainly ensures a long service life.
Numerous variations and detailed modifications may be made to the present embodiment of the invention, within the reach of an expert of the field, and in any case within scope of the invention as expressed by the appended claims.
By way of example, the kit may be provided with a single plate (3) suitable for covering only one side of the compartment of the box (100).
In such a case, instead of carrying the box (100) like a briefcase, a user will carry the box (100) like a mug with the open end facing upwards in such a way to prevent the contents of the box (100) from being spilled.

Claims

Kit for realizing a box (100) comprising:
- a sheet element (1) of flexible material provided with two first ending edges (10a) in parallel opposite position and two second ending edges (10b) in parallel opposite position; wherein said sheet element (1) is suitable for being folded in such way to have a substantially tubular shape with the first ending edges (10a) in side by side position; said sheet element (1) comprising two opposite handles (2) disposed in opposite position on the two first ending edges (10a); said handles (2) being configured in such a way that, when the sheet element (1) is folded in said tubular shape, said handles (2) are disposed side by side, defining a handle for holding the box (100);

- at least one plate (3) suitable for being connected to the sheet element (1) in at least one of the second ending edges (10b);

- fastening means (A, D) disposed on said at least one plate (3) and on the sheet element (1) for fastening the plate (3) to the sheet element (1);
characterized in that it comprises
- a retention means (4) suitable for surrounding the two handles (2) in such a way to tighten the handles (2) so that the sheet element (1) maintains its substantially tubular shape;
wherein said retention means (4) is shaped like a ring made of rigid material.
The kit of claim 1, wherein said retention means (4) is made of wood.
The kit of claim 1 or 2, wherein said retention means (4) comprises a rectangular ring comprising two longitudinal sections (41) and two transverse sections (42) that define a central slot (40) suitable for receiving said handles (2) of the sheet element (1).
The kit of claim 3, wherein said central slot (40) has a lower width than the total thickness of the two handles (2).
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sheet element (1) comprises a foldable blank made of cardboard.
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sheet element (1) comprises at least three or more portions (10) disposed side by side and connected by means of folding lines (L) that extend in parallel direction to the first ending edges (10a).
The kit of claim 6, wherein said folding lines (L) are notches obtained on a first side (as) of the sheet element.
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising two plates (3) disposed in the second ending edges (10b) of the sheet element.
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one plate (3) is made of a rigid material.
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one plate (3) is made of wood.
The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fastening means (A, D) comprise teeth (D) obtained on the plate suitable for being engaged in slots (A) obtained on the sheet element (1).