Patent Grant
9540133
This disclosure relates to box structures and has particular applicability to box structures which are erected to form an inner display box and an outer covering box.
It is known to have an outer box that receives a display box for protecting the contents of the display box, such as during shipment. The display box typically has one or more openings in a front wall through which the contents of the display box are visible.
Although display boxes having outer cover boxes are known, a need nevertheless exists for improvements in such box structures. Known display box designs suffer from one or more of a number of disadvantages. For example, the display box openings can weaken the front panel, resulting in possible kinking or buckling of the front panel and in a box having lesser crush strength when stacked. In addition, it can be time consuming to disassemble the outer box to provide the inner display box with its contents ready for display. Furthermore, stresses applied to the inner box during the manufacture and erection process of a combined inner/outer box structure can cause buckling or kinking of the walls of the inner box.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved display box structure that addresses one or more of these or other disadvantages.
A box forming structure is erected to form an inner display box and an outer box. When erected, the inner display box is positioned at least partially within, and desirably substantially entirely within, the outer box.
The box forming structure in one form comprises an inner box forming structure and an outer box forming structure. In accordance with and aspect of this disclosure, the inner and outer box forming structures are interconnected and can be provided in a knocked down substantially flat format that is erected to form the inner display box and outer box. The knocked down box forming structure can be erected, such as at a product packaging plant, to form the inner display box, which can be filled with product, and the outer box.
In accordance with one aspect of an embodiment, a box forming structure upon erection, comprises an inner display box and an outer box, the inner display box being positioned at least partially within the outer box upon erection of the box forming structure. The box forming structure in accordance with this aspect can comprise an inner box forming panel structure comprising a plurality of at least three inner box wall panels including an inner box front wall panel, the inner box wall panels forming an inner display box having inner box corners at the intersection of respective pairs of inner box wall panels when the box forming structure is erected. In addition, a plurality of the inner box wall panels can comprise bottom panel extension flap portions that comprised the bottom of the inner display box when the box forming structure is erected. Also, the box forming structure in accordance with this aspect can comprise an outer box forming panel structure comprising a plurality at least three outer box wall panels including an outer box front wall panel. The outer box forming wall panels desirably form an outer box structure having the same number of outer box corners as the number of inner box corners when the box forming structure is erected. A plurality of the outer box wall panels can comprise top panel extension flap portions that comprise the top of the outer box when the box forming structure is erected. The inner box front wall portion can also comprise at least one tear off display panel portion that is desirably adhered to the adjacent surface of the outer box front wall portion. In addition, in this aspect the outer box wall panels that form one of the outer box corners are desirably separated from one another at the said one of the outer box corners. In addition, the respective outer box wall panels that form the other outer box corners other than said one outer box corner are desirably joined together by respective tear lines along said other corners, and desirably along substantially the entire length of the corner such that the erected outer box is removable from the inner box by moving the outer box wall panels relative to the inner box wall panels so as to sever unsevered tear lines at said other corners.
In one form, the inner and outer box forming structures have respective adjacent front wall panels. The front wall panel of the inner box has a removable display panel portion defined in the inner box front wall panel by, for example, perforations. The display panel portion can be adhered, such as by adhesive, to the outer box front wall panel. In addition, the inner and outer box forming panel structures can have respective back wall panels positioned adjacent to one another with one or more back panel overlays formed in the outer back wall panel. These back panel overlays can be positioned within and can close an associated opening in the outer back wall panel. The back panel overlays can be defined by perforations in the outer box back wall panel. The overlays can be fastened, such as by adhesive, to the outer surface of the inner box back wall panel. The interconnection of the back panel overlays to the inner box back wall panel and the interconnection of display panel portion to the outer box front wall panel retain the inner box and outer box together prior to separation of the outer box front wall from the inner box front wall and the outer box back wall from the inner box back wall. When connected in this manner, upon separation, the display panel portion remains adhered to the outer box front wall panel and the back panel overlays remain adhered to the outer surface of the inner box back wall panel.
As another aspect of an embodiment, respective handle opening overlays in respective end wall panels of the outer box forming structure can be provided. The overlays can be wholly or partially detachable from their respective outer box end wall panels to provide access to respective handle openings through such outer box end wall panels. In addition, inner box end wall panels, each adjacent to a respective one of the outer box end wall panels, can be provided with respective inner box end wall handle opening defining overlays. These inner box opening defining overlays can be fastened to the handle overlays such that outward movement of the handle overlays removes the inner box overlays from the inner box end wall panels. This provides access to inner box handle openings to thereby provide respective opposed end wall handle openings through the outer and inner box end walls for use by a user who is moving the box.
In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, the outer box panels can be joined together at respective corners by tear lines making these outer box panels easy to remove such as by grabbing and moving the lower edges of such panels outwardly and upwardly relative to the associated adjacent inner box panels. In addition, in one desirable form, the outer box wall panels at one corner are entirely separated. This outer box construction with weakened corners and one separated corner reduces stress on the inner box during manufacturing of the box structure and during erection of the box structure; thereby minimizing the risk of kinking or buckling of the inner box wall panels.
In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment, when the outer box is separated from the inner box, the resulting disassembled outer box, in one desirable form, has an attached display panel portion, attached inner box handle opening overlay portions, and openings where the back wall overlay portions have been removed. The disassembled outer box can be a flat substantially planar structure that can be easily stacked with other such removed outer box structures for recycling purposes. In addition, the respective tear lines and separation at the corners of the outer box result in removable outer box wall panels that do not require box knives or other tools for removal. Desirably the tear lines are formed by perforations. In addition in one embodiment, an elongated slit or slot extends along a major portion, such as one half or more than half, of the tear line to further weaken the corner joints, making the outer panels more easily removable. In addition, at least one corner of the outer box is desirably formed by two panels that meet and that are not joined. Consequently in this embodiment, stress relief is provided when the box structure is erected by the combination of the weakened tear line areas as well as the disconnected corner.
In accordance with one embodiment, a box forming structure, upon erection, comprises an inner display box and an outer box. The inner display box is positioned at least partially within, and more desirably substantially entirely within, the outer box upon erection of the box forming structure. In this embodiment, the box forming structure comprises an inner box forming panel structure comprising an inner box front wall panel, an inner box back wall panel, and first and second inner box end wall panels. The inner box front and back wall panels can be opposed to one another when the box forming structure is erected. Also, the first and second inner box end wall panels can be opposed to one another when the box forming structure is erected. In addition, a plurality of the inner box front, back and end wall panels can comprise bottom panel extension flap portions that comprise the bottom of the inner display box when the box forming structure is erected. In addition the outer box forming panel structure comprises an outer box front wall panel, an outer box rear wall panel, and first and second outer box end wall panels. The outer box front and back wall panels can be opposed to one another when the box forming structure is erected and the first and second outer box end wall panels can be opposed to one another when the box forming structure is erected. Also, a plurality of the outer box front, back and end wall panels can comprise top panel extension flap portions that comprise the top of the outer box when the box forming structure is erected. The inner box front wall panel can comprise a tear off display panel portion fastened to the outer box front wall panel and the outer box back wall panel can comprise at least one tear off overlay portion fastened to the inner box back wall. There can be at least two tear off overlay portions positioned on opposite sides of the vertical center line of the back outer wall panel from one another. The tear off overlay portions can be surrounded by portions of the outer box back wall panel.
As another aspect of an embodiment, the first outer box end wall panel can comprise a first outer box opening cover portion, the first outer box opening cover portion being defined at least in part by a tear line such that the first outer box opening cover portion is at least partially separable from the first outer box end wall panel to at least partially open a first outer box opening: Also, the second outer box end wall panel can comprise a second outer box opening cover portion, the second outer box opening cover portion being defined at least in part by a tear line such that the second outer box opening cover portion is at least partially separable from the second outer box end wall panel to at least partially open a second outer box opening. In addition, in this embodiment the first inner box end wall panel can comprise a first inner box opening cover portion, the first inner box opening cover portion being defined at least in part by a tear line such that the first outer box opening cover portion is at least partially separable from the first inner box end wall panel to at least partially open a first inner box opening. Also, the second inner box end wall panel can comprise a second inner box opening cover portion, the second inner box opening cover portion being defined at least in part by a tear line such that the second inner box opening cover portion is at least partially separable from the second inner box end wall panel to at least partially open a second outer box opening. Moreover, the first outer box opening can be at least partially aligned with the first inner box opening such that a first handle opening is provided through the first outer box opening and first inner box opening upon at least partial separation of the first outer box cover portion from the first outer box end panel and the first inner box cover portion from the first inner box end panel. Also, the second outer box opening can be at least partially aligned with the second inner box opening such that a second handle opening is provided through the second outer box opening and second inner box opening upon at least partial separation of the second outer box cover portion from the second outer box end panel and the second inner box cover portion from the second inner box end panel.
As a further aspect of an embodiment, such as the embodiment described immediately above, the first inner box opening cover portion can be fastened to the first outer box opening cover portion so as to be removed from the first inner box end wall panel with the at least partial separation of the first outer box opening cover portion from the first outer box end wall panel to provide the first handle opening. Also, the second inner box opening cover portion can be fastened to the second outer box opening cover portion so as to be removed from the second inner box end wall panel with the at least partial separation of the second outer box opening cover portion from the second outer box end wall panel to provide the second handle opening.
A yet another aspect of an embodiment, the outer box front wall panel; the outer box back wall panel and the first and second outer box end wall panels can each comprise respective first and second side edges. The second side edge of the first outer box end wall panel can be joined to the first side edge of the outer box front wall panel along at least a portion of a first outer box corner forming joint with the first corner forming joint forming a first corner of the erected box structure. The second side edge of the outer box front wall panel can be joined to the first side edge of the second outer box end wall panel along at least a portion of a second outer box corner forming joint with the second corner forming joint forming a second corner of the erected box structure. The second side edge of the second outer box end wall panel can be joined to the first side edge of the outer box back wall panel along at least a portion of a third corner forming joint with the third corner forming joint forming a third corner of the erected box structure. In addition, the second side edge of the outer box back wall panel can be, if not joined together such as by a tear line, be separated from the first side edge of the first outer box end wall panel at a fourth corner forming location with the fourth corner forming location being at a fourth corner of the erected box structure. The joined side edges of such outer box first end wall panel, and outer box front wall panel, the joined side edges of the outer box front wall panel and second outer box end wall panel, and the joined side edges of the second outer box end wall panel and the outer box back wall panel can each comprise a respective tear line such that the joined side edges are separable from one another at the first, second and third corners of the erected box structure by tearing along the tear lines. Each of the tear lines at the joined side edges can include an elongated slot or slit that extends at least half the length of the tear line.
In accordance with a further aspect of an embodiment, disassembly of the outer box can be accomplished as follows: moving the lower portion of the outer box front wall panel outwardly and upwardly relative to the inner box front wall panel separates the outer box front panel wall and display panel portion from the inner box front wall panel at the first and second corner forming joints; moving the lower portion of the outer box back wall panel outwardly and upwardly relative to the inner box back wall panel separates the outer box back wall panel from the inner box back wall panel at the third corner forming joint and fourth corner forming location with the at least one tear off overlay portion remaining fastened to the inner box back wall panel; moving the lower portion of the first outer box end wall panel outwardly and upwardly relative to the second inner box end wall panel separates the second outer box end wall panel from the second inner box end wall panel at the first corner forming joint and at the fourth corner location, and moving the lower portion of the second outer box end wall panel upwardly and away from the second inner box end wall panel separates the first outer box end wall panel from the first inner box end wall panel at the first and second corner forming joints. This disassembly can be accomplished in any order, but desirably opposed outer wall panels, are simultaneously separated from the adjacent inner box wall panels.
As yet another aspect of an embodiment, a first outer box end wall panel can comprise a first handle that overlays at least a portion of a first outer box handle opening, the first handle being defined at least in part by a tear line so as to be at least partially separable from the first outer box end wall panel by tearing to provide access to the first outer box handle opening. In addition, a second outer box end wall panel can comprise a second handle that overlays at least a portion of a second outer box handle opening, the second handle being defined at least in part by a tear line so as to be at least partially separable from the second outer box end wall panel by tearing to provide access to the second outer box handle opening. Also, a first inner box end wall panel can comprise a tear off first inner box handle portion fastened to the first outer box handle portion and overlying at least a portion of a first inner box handle opening; and a second inner box inner box end wall panel can comprise a tear off second inner box handle portion fastened to the second outer box handle portion and overlying at least a portion of the second inner box handle opening. In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, the first inner box handle opening is at least partially aligned with the first outer box handle opening and the second inner box handle opening is at least partially aligned with the second outer box handle opening. Also, the first and second outer box opening cover portions can comprise respective first and second handle portions. With this construction, moving the first and second handle portions away from the respective first and second inner box end walls separates the first and second inner box opening cover portions from the respective first and second inner box end wall panels to provide respective first and second handle openings.
As a further aspect of an embodiment, a disassembled box can comprise: a front wall panel having first and second side edges and respective inner and outer surfaces; a display panel adhered to the inner surface of the front wall panel; a back wall panel having first and second side edges and also having at least one opening therein from which a tear away portion of the back panel has been removed to create the opening; first and second and end wall panels each comprising respective first and second side edges; and respective inner and outer surfaces, the first and second end wall panels each comprising a handle portion with inner and outer surfaces, and a handle opening overlay portion being fastened to the inner surface of each handle portion; the side edges of the respective front wall panel, back wall panel, and the first end and second end wall panels being separated from one another; and a central portion comprising extension flap portions of the front wall panel, back wall panel and first and second end wall panels, and wherein a plurality of the extension flap portions of the front wall panel and back wall panel are fastened together at the central portion. The disassembled box can be the outer box of a combined outer box/inner display box structure. The disassembled box can be substantially flat for stacking.
As a still further aspect of an embodiment, a disassembled box can comprise a plurality of wall panels that each have respective end flaps that are connected together to form a central portion of the disassembled box and adjacent side edges that previously formed respective corners of an erected box and that are disconnected from one another, a plurality of the disconnected adjacent side edges having tear line remnants remaining following severing of the tear lines along the corners of the erected box, and at least one display panel adhered to a surface of one of the end panels. In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment, adjacent side edges of at least two wall panels that formed a corner of the erected box lack tear line remnants as they were separated from one another at a corner of an erected box.
As yet another aspect of an embodiment, a blank for making a box structure comprises: a first wall panel comprising a first panel body portion with first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge; a second wall panel comprising a second panel body portion with first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first side edge of the second wall panel being joined to the second side edge of the first wall panel at a first box corner forming joint; a third wall panel comprising a third panel body portion with first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first side edge of the third wall panel being joined to the second side edge of the second wall panel at a second box corner forming joint; a fourth wall panel comprising a fourth panel body portion with first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first side edge of the fourth wall panel being joined to the second side edge of the third wall panel at a third corner forming joint, the second side edge of the fourth wall panel being unattached to the first side edge of the first wall panel; the first box corner forming joint comprising a first tear line between the first and second panel body portions, the first tear line comprising a first set of plural perforated attachment portions connecting the first and second panel body portions and an elongated slot extending along a major portion of the length of the first tear line; the second box corner forming joint comprising a second tear line between the second and third panel body portions, the second tear line comprising a second set of plural perforated attachment portions connecting the second and third panel body portions and an elongated slot extending along a major portion of the length of the second tear line; the third box corner forming joint comprising a third tear line between the third and fourth panel body portions, the third tear line comprising a third set of plural perforated attachment portions connecting the third and fourth panel body portions and an elongated slot extending along a major portion of the length of the third tear line; a first end flap joined to the top edge of the first panel body portion along a first fold line, a second end flap joined to the top edge of the second panel body portion along a second fold line, a third end flap joined to the top edge of the third panel body portion along a third fold line, and a fourth end flap joined to the top edge of the fourth panel body portion along a fourth fold line; the first wall panel body portion comprising a first handle defined at least in part by a first handle tear line so as to be at least partially separable from the first wall panel body portion by tearing to provide a first handle opening; the third panel body portion comprising a second handle defined at least in part by a second handle tear line so as to be at least partially separable from the third wall panel body portion by tearing to provide a second handle opening; and the fourth wall panel body portion comprising at least one tear off overlay defined by a tear line so as to be removable from the fourth wall panel body portion to provide an opening in the fourth wall panel upon removal of the overlay.
As yet another aspect of the embodiment of a blank, the blank can have a first panel body portion having a first void extending upwardly from the bottom edge toward the first handle portion and away from the second edge of the first panel body portion to the first edge of the first panel body portion; and a third panel body portion having a second void extending from the bottom edge of the third panel body portions toward the second handle and spaced from the first and second side edges of the third panel body portion. The blank can also comprise first and second of said tear off overlays positioned on opposite sides of the center line of the fourth wall panel body portion, the overlays being spaced from one another and spaced from the first and second side edges and from the top and bottom edges of the fourth wall body panel. In addition, the blank can be substantially planar, with opposed planar surfaces, and formed of a unitary monolithic single piece of corrugated paper board. The blank can be the blank for an outer box of an inner box/outer box forming box structure.
In accordance with a further embodiment, a box forming structure is disclosed that, upon erection, comprises an inner display box and an outer box. The inner display box is positioned at least partially within the outer box upon erection of the box forming structure. The box forming structure of this embodiment comprises: an inner box forming panel structure comprising a plurality of interconnected inner box wall panels that form the inner display box when the box forming structure is erected, one of said inner box wall panels comprising an inner box front panel with a tear-off display panel portion; an outer box forming panel structure comprising a plurality of at least four outer box wall panels each with respective first and second side edges, the first side edge of a first one of the outer box wall panels being positioned adjacent to and separated from a second side edge of a second one of the outer box wall panels, the second side edge of the first one of the outer box wall panels being connected to the first side edge of one of the outer box wall panels other than the second one of the outer box wall panels at a first outer box corner forming joint, the first side edge of the second of the outer box wall panels being connected to the second side edge of one of the outer box wall panels other than the first of the outer box wall panels at a second corner forming joint, and each of the first side edges of respective outer box wall panels other than the first and second outer box wall panels being connected to a respective second side edge of another of the outer box wall panels other than the first and second outer box wall panels at respective outer box corner forming joints, the outer box wall panels comprising a tear line positioned along each of the corner forming joints such that tearing of the tear lines separates the connected first and second side edges at corners formed by the corner forming joints of the erected box structure; and the inner box front wall panel comprising a tear-off display panel portion defined by a tear line in the inner box front wall panel, the display panel portion being fastened to a front one of the outer box wall panels so as to be removable from the inner box front wall panel upon separation of said front one of the outer box wall panels from the inner box front wall panel.
As a further aspect of an embodiment, each of the tear lines can include a centrally positioned elongated slot or slit. The centrally positioned elongated slit or slot can extend along at least half the length of the tear line. Tearable attachment portions can be positioned in the tear line at opposite ends of the slot or slit.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. These and other novel and non-obvious features and method acts will become more apparent from the description below and from the drawings. The invention encompasses all such novel and non-obvious method acts and features alone, as well as in all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations with one another.
Throughout this disclosure, when a reference is made to a first element being coupled to a second element, the term “coupled” is to be construed to mean both direct connection of the elements as well as indirect connection of the elements by way of one or more additional intervening elements. Also, the singular terms “a”, “and”, and “first”, mean both the singular and the plural unless the term is qualified to expressly indicate that it only refers to a singular element, such as by using the phase “only one”. Thus, for example, if two of a particular element are present, there is also “a” or “an” of such element that is present. In addition, the term “and/or” when used in this document is to be construed to include the conjunctive “and”, the disjunctive “or”, and both “and” and “or”. Also, the terms “includes” and “has” have the same meaning as “comprises” and the terms “including” and “having” have the same meaning as “comprising”.
With reference to
In this disclosure, references to top and bottom are simply for purposes of clarifying the description as it is simply a matter of orientation to position one edge of a box upwardly to be a top edge. Similarly, the reference to end walls and side walls are for convenience as they are interchangeable, although typically an end wall would have a width that is shorter than a front and back wall unless the box is of a square cross section.
The exemplary blank 10 comprises an inner box front wall panel 12 having a panel body 22 with first and second side edges 14, 16, a top edge 18 and a bottom edge 20. One or more removable or detachable display panel portions are provided in the body 22 of the inner box front wall panel 12. In this example, one such removable display panel portion 24 is shown defined by a tear line 26 in the panel body 22. The illustrated tear line 26 is generally U-shaped in this example, although alternative shaped display panels can be used and more than one detachable display panel portion can be provided. The tear line 26 can be a perforation line comprised of spaced apart perforations or elongated cuts with uncut attachment portions. Alternatively, the tear line 26 can be a continuous cut or score extending entirely through the body 22. Less desirably, tape or some other temporary fastening mechanism can be used to temporarily adhere the display panel portion in place to the remainder of the inner box front wall panel or to an overlaying outer box wall panel. The term perforation or tear line in this description simply refers to a weakened area of a box forming structure that facilitates removal of or partial separation of a portion of the box forming structure bounded by the weakened area. The weakened area, such as explained above, can be a series of cuts spaced apart by lands or spots of connected material and/or be a continuous cut.
The illustrated inner box blank 10 also includes a first inner box end wall panel 30 having a panel body 32. The panel body 32 comprises a first side edge 34, a second side edge 36, a top edge 38 and a bottom edge 40. In addition, the illustrated first end wall panel body 32 includes a first inner box overlay portion 42 defined by a perforation 43. Preferably, perforation 43 extends entirely around the circumference of overlay 42 making overlay 42 readily removable from the inner box end wall panel 32. In addition, an access overlay 44, which in this example is generally of a half moon or semi-circular shape, is provided, although any other geometric shape can be used. The access overlay 44 is defined by a perforation 36. The access overlay 44 can be depressed or punched out from the outer surface of the end wall panel 32 to provide access to the inner surface of overlay 42, thereby enabling overlay 42 to be gripped and pulled outwardly to separate the overlay 42 from the inner box end panel wall 32.
In addition, the illustrated blank 10 further comprises a second inner box end wall panel 50 having a panel body 51. Panel body 51 has a first side edge 54, a second side edge 56, a top edge 58 and a bottom edge 60. In addition, in this example, like end wall panel body 32, the second end wall panel 51 also includes an overlay 52 bounded by a perforation 53 with an access tab 54 defined by a perforation 55. The overlay 52 and access tab 54 are operable in the same manner as the overlays 42 and 44 described above.
In addition, the blank 10 also comprises an inner box back wall panel, which in this example is comprised of first and second inner box back wall panel sections 70, 72. During manufacture of the box structure of this example, as explained below, the panels 70 and 72 are interconnected to form an inner box back wall panel of the inner box forming structure. The inner box back wall panel 70 comprises a panel body 80 with a first side edge 73, a second side edge 74, a top edge 76 and a bottom edge 78. The inner box back wall panel section 72 comprises a panel body 90 with a first side edge 83, a second side edge 84, a top edge 88, and a bottom edge 89.
An optional divider panel 100 extends from inner box back wall panel section 72 of the blank structure of
Respective fold lines 115, 116, 117, 118 and 119 are also provided in the illustrated embodiment of inner box forming blank 10 respectively between side edges 83 and 106, 34 and 84, 14 and 36, 16 and 54, and 56 and 73. In a desirable construction, the inner box forming blank 10 is desirably of a one piece unitary monolithic body. Hence, the fold lines in this example do not constitute lines of separation of adjacent components of adjacent panels although they could be in the event the inner box is constructed from multiple separated panel pieces.
With reference to
The exemplary outer box forming structure comprises an outer box front wall panel 202 comprising a panel body 204 with a first side edge 206, a second side edge 208, a top edge 210 and a bottom edge 212. In addition, the outer box front wall panel 202 comprises an end flap extension 214 extending from an edge 210 along a fold line 215.
The blank 200 also comprises a first end wall panel 220 comprising a panel body 222 with a first side edge 224, a second side edge 226, a top edge 228, and a bottom edge 230. In addition, the outer box end wall panel 220 comprises an end flap extension 232 extending from edge 228 along a fold line 234. The end wall panel body 220 also comprises an overlay 240 defined by a perforation 242 which can be constructed such that the entire overlay 240 is removable from the outer box end panel 222 to provide access to an opening overlaid by the overlay 240. Alternatively, the perforation 242 can comprise a portion 244 configured to form a fold line hingedly or pivotally coupling the overlay 240 to the end wall body panel 222. The overlay 240 is desirably aligned at least in part with the overlay 42 of inner box end panel 30 (
The illustrated outer box forming structure 200 further comprises a second end wall panel 250 comprising a panel body 252. The panel body 252 comprises a first side edge 254, a second side edge 256, a top edge 258 and a bottom edge 260. In addition, the outer box end wall panel 250 comprises an end flap extension 262 extending from edge 258 along a fold line 261. The end wall panel body 252 comprises an overlay 264 defined by a perforation 266 which can be constructed such that the entire overlay 264 is removable from the outer box panel 252 to provide access to an opening overlayed by the overlay 264. Alternatively, the perforation 266 can comprise a portion 268 configured to form a fold line hingedly coupling the overlay 264 to the end wall panel 252. The overlay 264 is desirably aligned at least in part with the overlay 52 of inner box end wall panel 50 (
The outer box forming panel structure in the illustrated embodiment of
The outer box end wall flap portions 232, 214 are separated by a slot 286; end flap portions 214, 262 are separated by a slot 288; and end flap portions 262, 282 are separated by a slot 290. The slots 286, 288 and 290 comprise gaps that accommodate relative folding of the end flap portions 214, 232, 262 and 282 to close the top of the outer box when the box structure is erected and the outer box is closed. More or fewer outer box end flap portions can be used as each outer box wall panel is not required to have an end flap. The bottom of the outer box is typically open when the box structure is partially erected.
The illustrated outer box back wall panel 270 comprises at least one tear off overlay portion positioned for fastening to the inner box back wall panel (e.g., either wall panel section 70 or 72) when the box forming structure is manufactured. In the example shown in
A first void or cutout portion 310, which can be of a half moon or semi-circular shape is provided along the bottom edge of the front panel 202. A similar cutout 312 can be provided along the bottom edge of the outer box back panel 272. These cutouts provide access locations or gripping surfaces to facilitate gripping of these panels during disassembly of the outer box from the inner box of the box structure.
In addition, in the illustrated embodiment of
In the illustrated construction of
As can be seen in
With reference to
In
The box forming structure is folded along fold line 116 (
With reference to
In the illustrated construction of
Typically following filling of the inner box with contents, the outer box top flap extensions are then closed. For example, end flap extensions 232, 262 can be folded inwardly with end flaps 214 and 282 then folded inwardly to overlay the previously folded end flap extensions 232, 262.
Referring again to
In
As shown in
The resulting disassembled outer box is shown in
Because of the tear lines and separated edge at the corners of the assembled outer box, no box knives or other tools are required to disassemble the box structure. In addition, when disassembled, the outer box structure can be substantially planar and flat making it easier to stack for recycling purposes.
Thus, the illustrated inner/outer box forming structures provide a box structure that can be readily erected at, for example, a product packing facility for use in receiving box contents. Also, providing detachable overlay connections between a plurality of the outer box and inner box walls and desirably with at least one such connection between each of the adjacent walls, the outer and inner box components are strengthened and securely held together prior to disassembly of the outer box from the inner display box. Fastening of the inner box handle opening overlays to the outer box handle overlays at the respective end walls of the box structure, fastening one or more outer box back wall overlays to the inner box back wall of the box structure, and fastening a display panel portion of the inner box front wall panel to the outer box front wall panel all assist in maintaining the integrity of the box structure during manufacture, shipment and storage. In addition, this integrity is maintained even if one or more of the tear lines at the corners separate during box structure manufacture. In addition, the combination of tear lines and a separate edge, which separated edge can be replaced by another tear line or temporary connection, facilitates the construction and erection of the box structure without bending or buckling inner box wall panels, while at the same time allowing ready separation of the outer box to leave the intact display box in place for displaying product. In addition, a convenient structure for forming box handles is provided. An outer box structure with tear line corners and one separated corner, has utility apart from the connections to an inner display box.
In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/081,487, entitled BOX STRUCTURE, filed on Nov. 18, 2014.
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| 62081487 | Nov 2014 | US |
