GB2068338A

GB2068338A - Box for trays or cartons of eggs

Info

Publication number: GB2068338A
Application number: GB8023978A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LAROSIERE DE CHAMPFEU P DE
Current assignee: LAROSIERE DE CHAMPFEU P DE
Priority date: 1980-01-31
Filing date: 1980-07-22
Publication date: 1981-08-12

Abstract

A box 9 for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs has a bottom wall 10, pairs of side walls 11, 12 and flaps 13, 14 pivotably fixed to the side walls 11, 12 for movement from an erect position where they are interlocked to form side walls, to a folded position in which they overlie the bottom wall 10. The flaps 13, 14 are perforated to facilitate ventilation and cooling of eggs stored in the box, and the bottom wall 10 has arrays of perforations 28 to receive trays of eggs. Runners project below the bottom wall 10 of the box 9. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Box for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs The present invention relates to a box adapted for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs.

An aim of the invention is to provide a box which allows for transportation of trays or cartons of eggs and for cooling of the eggs, and which can be folded so as to occupy a smaller volume when empty.

A further aim is to provide a box which can contain empty cartons or trays when folded.

A further aim is to provide a box which can be used to display the eggs.

According to the present invention there is provided a box adapted for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs, comprising a bottom wall, and pivotable flaps provided with interlocking means, which flaps are pivotable from a folded position substantially opposite and parallel to the bottom wall to an open position where adjacent flaps can be interlocked to form sidewalls of the box.

Preferably at least one of the flaps is pivotable to a position outward of the box to facilitate loading of the box and to display eggs contained therein.

Perforations may be provided in the box to facilitate ventilation and cooling of eggs stored therein.

More preferably the box comprises side walls affixed to said bottom wall, and the flaps are pivotably attached to the sidewalls distally of the bottom wall, the box is preferably adapted to contain empty trays or cartons when folded.

The box is preferably made from plastics material, the flaps may be corrugated or provided with recesses to make them more rigid.

Hand holes to facilitate handling of the box may be provided in at least one pair of opposite sides of the box.

Preferably, the bottom wall of the box is provided with an array of perforations to receive an egg tray, and/or is provided with runners to space the bottom wall from a support surface. More preferably the runners are adapted to engage with an underlying box to give stability when a plurality of boxes are stacked one on top of the other.

Preferably the box is sized to receive two stacks of trays in side by side- relation.

One or more flaps may be provided with tabs which are received by corresponding mortices or the like provided in the respective sidewall or bottom wall of the box so as to enhance rigidity when the flaps are in the open position, and to aid the additional location of the flaps in the open position whilst they are being interlocked.

The present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention with flaps directed outwardly of the box in a display or loading position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, with the flaps in the folded position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the underside of the embodiment of Fig. 1 when folded, and shows two egg trays protruding through the bottom wall thereof; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the flaps in the open position and with trays of eggs contained therein; Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 1, but with trays of eggs stacked therein; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with only one of the flaps in a display position and containing cartons of eggs therein.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a box 9 having a rectangular bottom wall 10 having pair of short side walls 11, and a pair of long side walls 1 2 attached thereto, and pairs of flaps 13, 14 pivotably fixed to the side walls 11, 1 2. The bottom wall 10 is provided with two arrays of perforations 28, each array adapted to receive an egg tray. Flaps 13, 14 have perforations 1 5 to facilitate ventilation and cooling of eggs stored in the box. The short side walls 11 and the flaps 1 3 are each provided with a hand hole to facilitate handling of the box when in the open or folded position.

The flaps 1 3 are each provided with a pivotable loop of metal rod 1 7 which engages with tabs 26 on the flaps 14, as seen in Fig.

4, when the flaps are in the open position.

The flaps 1 5 are provided with ribs 1 8 and recesses 27 to provide rigidity. Also it can be seen that the tabs 1 9 provided on the flaps 14 are adapted to cooperate with mortices 20 provided in the walls 1 2 when the flaps are in the open position.

The flaps pivot on hinges.21 and 22.

As seen in Fig. 3 runners 23 are provided on the bottom wall of the box and will engage with the top of an open box as well as with the top of a folded box. As seen in Fig. 2, suitably shaped channels 29 are provided in the flaps 13, and will also aid reinforcement of the side walls 1 3.

Tabs 24 are provided on the flaps 14 and cooperate with slots 25 provided on flaps 13, to interlock when the flaps are in the open position. As can be seen in Fig. 4 the flaps 13, 1 4 are locked in position by means of the metal rods 17.

Tongues 1 9 are provided in the flaps 14, and corresponding tongue receiving mortices 20 are provided in the side walls 12, hence the flaps 14 may be held in the upright or open position by means of tongues and mortices whilst bringing the flaps into open position for interlocking the flaps 1 3 and 14. In order to facilitate cooperation between the tongues 19 and mortices 20 the hinges 21 may allow for lateral movement of the flaps 14 relative to the side walls 12; hence the hand holes 1 6 are provided on the side walls 1 3, since the side walls 14 would have a tendency to move vertically on the side walls 1 2 when in the open position, straining the interlocking tabs 24 and of slots 25.

As can be seen in Fig. 3, the bottom pair of egg trays 30 stored in the box will cooperate with the arrays of perforations, hence restricting their movement within the box during transportation.

The box is readily made from a suitable plastics material and may be suitably covered.

Preferably the dimensions of the box are such that the height of the box with the flaps in the folded position is approximately one third of that with the flaps in the open position.

Claims

1. A box adapted for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs, comprising a bottom wall and pivotable flaps provided with interlocking means, which flaps are pivotable from a folded position substantially opposite and parrell to the bottom wall to an open position where adjacent flaps can be interlocked to form side walls of the box.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said flaps is pivotable to a loading or display position where it is directed outwardly of the box so as to facilitate loading and display of eggs.

3. A box as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein there are provided side walls affixed to said bottom wall and said flaps are pivotably attached to said side walls distally of said bottom wall.

4. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said box is perforated to facilitate ventilation and cooling of the contents of the box when in use.

5. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, formed of plastics material.

6. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flaps are provided with ribs and/or corrugations and/or recesses.

7. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the bottom wall is provided with an array of perforations to receive an egg tray.

8. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the box is sized to receive two stacks of trays of eggs in side by side relation.

9. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein runners are provided on said bottom wall to space the bottom wall from a surface when said box is stood thereupon in use.

1 0. A box as claimed in claim 9, wherein said runners are adapted to engage with an underlying like box when said box is stacked thereupon.

11. A box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein said interlocking means comprises tabs and tab receiving holes provided on the flaps.

12. A box as claimed in claim 11, wherein said interlocking means further comprises pivotable loops pivoted on a pair of opposite flaps and adapted to engage with adjacent flaps when said flaps are in the open position.

1 3. A box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein tongues are provided on said flaps and corresponding mortices are provided on said bottom wall or said side walls for receiving said tongues when said flaps are in the open position to aid maintaining said flaps in the open position.

14. A box adapted for transporting and storing trays or cartons of eggs, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. The features hereinbefore disclosed or their equivalents in any novel combination.