The present invention relates to a packing container. In particular, the invention relates to a packing container for holding small articles, daily commodities or the like that has a lid making it easy to take things from the container.
Commonly known containers for packing small articles, daily commodities, etc. include a box body formed of a sheet of paper and having six sides and a round or rectangular opening.
In order that the things held in the container do not fall and can be picked up from it, the size of the opening is generally such that at least two fingers can be inserted through the opening. The opening is not large enough for two or more of the held things to be taken out at a time. The opening is always open, so that the held things near it are always exposed to the outside air. If the container holds rubber bands, the exposed bands will deteriorate.
Water, dust or foreign substances may enter the container through the opening, which is always open.
Patent and/or utility model applications have been filed for containers for packing rubber bands etc. Each of these containers has a large opening that can be closed with a lid. In this regard, reference may be made to pages 1-8 and FIG. 1 of Japanese utility model registration No. 3,027,801, for example.
Patent applications have been filed for flat lids for cartons, which are easy to open and close repeatedly. In this regard, reference may be made to pages 1-4 and FIG. 1 of Japanese unexamined patent publication No. H08-192836, for example.
It is preferable that the box body of a packing container having six sides should have a large opening, through which the things held in the body can be taken out. It is also preferable that the lid of the packing container be able to be easy to open, and able to be closed tightly.
In particular, it is desirable that a container for packing rubber bands, which are liable to deteriorate with light or the outside air, should have a lid that can be closed securely.
It is necessary not only that a packing container should have a large opening, but also that, when the lid of the container is opened, it should not interfere with the things being taken out of the container. A packing container may have a large opening by having a large top part surrounded by perforations. The large top part is difficult to tear out along the perforations. If the container having a large top part is made of paper, the container may be broken when the top part is torn out.
The object of the present invention is to provide a packing container that can be formed easily with a large opening, through which the things held in the container are easy to take out, and that has a lid free to be opened and closed, and capable of being locked securely.
A packing container according to the present invention is constructed of a sheet of paper and has six sides. The container has a lid that can be opened and closed. The container includes a double panel formed on one of the six sides. The double panel includes a front panel and an inside panel. The front panel can turn on one edge of the double panel. The inside panel includes a top part surrounded by perforations. The top part can be stuck on the front panel and subsequently torn from the inside panel so that an opening is formed in the inside panel. The lid includes the front panel and the top part stuck on the front panel. The front panel has a pair of guide flaps formed on both its sides. The guide flaps are adjacent to the one edge of the double panel and guide the lid when the lid is opened. The front panel also has an insert tab formed at its edge opposite to the one edge. The insert tab locks the lid when the lid is closed.
The opening in the inside panel can be formed in an arbitrary size. The lid can engage with the perforations along which the top part has been torn out. The lid can be opened and closed stably, with the guide flaps guiding it. The lid can be locked securely with the insert tab.
The inside panel may have a pair of slits formed on both its sides. Each of the guide flaps may have an arcuate edge and a lid stopper extending from this edge. The arcuate edge can slide through the adjacent slit. The lid can be opened and closed smoothly and securely, with the arcuate edge guided by the associated slit.
The slits of the inside panel may be slightly longer than the radius of the circular edges of the guide flaps. This makes it possible to guide each of the guide flaps closely through the associated slit. The slits may be short enough to prevent the lid stopper that extends from the circular edge of each of the guide flaps from moving through the associated slit. This makes it possible to fix the lid in an arbitrary open position and set the maximum open position.
The inside panel may have an open window of a predetermined size formed in advance. The open window adjoins the top part. In this case, even if the opening in the inside panel is large, the part of the opening that is torn out can be small, so that the top part is easy to tear out.
The front panel may include the lid as the top side of the container. The container may further include a pair of side panels as the right and left sides of the container, a pair of back panels as the front and rear sides of the container, and a bottom panel as the bottom side of the container. At least one of the side and back panels may have a see-through window through which it is possible to check what is held in the container. The see-through window makes it easy to check, without opening the lid, the type and quantity of what is held in the container.
Each of the back panels may have a pair of side flaps formed on both its sides. Each of the side panels may have an insert flap formed at its bottom. The packing container may include a box body formed by bending the side flaps on each side of the container, covering the bent side flaps on each side of the container with the adjacent side panel, and subsequently sticking the insert flaps on the outer side of the bottom panel. Sticking the insert flaps on the outer side of the bottom panel improves the strength of the box and the sealing performance of the box bottom.
Each of the side flaps of each of the back panels may be long enough to□ overlap with the adjacent side flap of the other back panel. Each of the guide flaps may be inserted and sandwiched between the adjacent side flaps and the adjacent side panel. While the sandwiched guide flaps are sliding, each of them is guided on both its sides. The overlapping side flaps improve the strength and sealing performance of both sides of the box. The lid can be opened and closed smoothly by guiding the sandwiched guide flaps while these flaps are sliding.
The packing container may further include a pair of first side panels formed on both sides of the inside panel and a pair of second side panels formed on both sides of the bottom panel. The first and second side panels compose double panels. The double panels and the side flaps compose triple side walls, which make the box high in strength and sealing performance.
Part of the first side panels may be cut away so as not to interfere with the guide flaps. This makes it possible to erect the box by bending the first side panels even after bending the guide flaps. This makes it easy to erect the box.
The packing container can be formed easily with a large opening, through which the things held in the container are easy to take out. The container has a lid that can be opened and closed smoothly, and locked securely.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
Each back panel 3 has a pair of side flaps 6. Each side panel 7 has an insert flap 8. The flaps 6 and 8 and the panels 1-4 and 7 are bent on polygonal lines 12 and 13 so that the box body HA is formed as shown in
The inside panel 4 has an end flap 9, which has a sticking band (shaded) 18. When the box body HA is formed, the sticking band 18 is coated with an adhesive or paste and then stuck on the inner surface of the first back panel 3A so that a strong box is formed.
Each side flap 6 has a tab 14, which can engage with a slit 16. The front panel 1 has a pair of guide flaps 5, each of which can be inserted through a slit 15.
The inside panel 4 includes a top part 4A surrounded by perforations 17. The top part 4A has sticking bands 18 extending on its upper surface. After the six panels 2, 3, 4 and 7 are bent, forming a box, these sticking bands 18 are coated with an adhesive or paste. Subsequently, the front panel 1 is bent and stuck on the sticking bands 18.
The front panel 1 and inside panel 4 are stuck on each other. The insert flaps 8 of the side panels 7 are not stuck, but one of the side panels 7 can be opened so that the container H can be packed with rubber bands or other things. After the container H is packed, the opened side panel 7 is closed, with its insert flap 8 inserted in the container H. Subsequently, the adjoining edges of the side panels 7 and bottom panel 2 are sealed with adhesive seals or tapes.
The front panel 1 has an insert tab 11. The packed container H can be opened by holding the insert tab 11 and the adjacent end portions of the front panel 1 and raising this panel from the opening mouth 19 of the container. When the front panel 1 is raised, the inside panel 4 is not lifted because its end flap 9 is stuck on the first back panel 3A. When the front panel 1 is raised, the top part 4A of the inside panel 4, which is stuck on the front panel 1, is torn out along the perforations 17, so that an opening 20 is formed in the inside panel 4, as shown in
The front panel 1 on which the removable part 4A is stuck is a lid HC. The opening 20 is formed in the inside panel 4 from which the top part 4A is torn out. This results in the large opening 20 being formed at the large front panel 1 and inside panel 4. The lid HC is strong because it is a double panel, where the top part 4A is stuck on the front panel 1.
If the top part 4A, which is surrounded by the perforations 17, is large, the opening 20 is accordingly large. However, if the top part 4A were merely large, great force would be necessary for tearing it out. In this case, the tearing force might tear and break the box body of the container H, which is formed of a blank of paper. Therefore, the inside panel 4 has an open window 4B of a predetermined size that is formed in advance and adjoins the top part 4A.
The total area of the top part 4A and open window 4B is the area of the opening 20. Accordingly, even though the opening 20 is large, the perforations 17 can be short, so that the top part 4A is easy to tear out.
The lid HC is a double panel, where the cut top part 4A is stuck on the front panel 1, and which can turn on the polygonal line 12. When the lid HC is closed, the top part 4A comes in engagement with the opening 20 of the inside panel 4.
In other words, the top part 4A comes in engagement with the opening 20 along the broken perforations 17. Because the broken perforations 17 are knurled, their friction makes it easy to keep the lid HC closed. In particular, it is preferable that the edge 21 of the opening 20 which extends along the perforations 17B should have a predetermined length for great frictional force.
As stated above, the perforations 17 need to be long to some extent so that the lid HC can be closed tightly. However, if the perforations 17 were too long, the top part 4A would be difficult to tear out. Therefore, the top part 4A is roughly half the opening 20 in size. This ratio makes it possible to enlarge the opening area, without making it more difficult to tear out the top part 4A. This ratio also makes it possible to seal the lid HC safely.
The front panel 1 of the lid HC has a pair of guide flaps 5 formed at the portions of its side edges that are adjacent to the polygonal line 12. The guide flaps 5 guide the lid HC when the lid is opened and closed. The front panel 1 also has an insert tab 11 formed at its front edge. The insert tab 11 serves as a lock when the lid HC is closed.
Each guide flap 5 has an arcuate edge 5A and a lid stopper 5B, which extends from this edge. The arcuate edge 5A can slide through the associated slit 15, which is formed along the polygonal line 13 between the inside panel 4 and the adjacent side panel 7.
Accordingly, when the lid HC is turned downward, the guide flaps 5 are guided by the slits 15. As a result, the lid HC can be closed tightly, with the top part 4A engaging with the opening 20 along the perforations 17. If the insert tab 11 is put under the peripheral part 10 of the inside panel 4, the lid HC can be closed more firmly and securely.
With reference to
Accordingly, the lid HC can be held in a half-open position as shown in
When the lid HC is closed, the top part 4A engages with the opening 20. The engagement is enough to keep the lid HC closed. It is possible to close the lid HC more firmly and securely by putting the insert tab 11 under the peripheral part 10 of the inside panel 4.
The insert tab 11 serves as both a lock for keeping the lid HC closed and a part that can be held and lifted by fingers when the opening 20 is formed, as stated already.
The size and shape of each of the openings 20A-20C can be selected according to the type and size of what the associated box holds, and in terms of appearance. It is obvious that, if each of the inside panels 4 shown in
As shown in
The inside panel of the box H2 includes a pair of top parts 4A surrounded by perforations. Each top part 4A can be stuck on the adjacent front panel 1. When the front panels 1 of the box H2 are raised, the top parts 4A stuck on them are torn out, so that an opening is formed in the inside panel. By varying the size and shape of the top parts 4A, it is possible to optionally select the size and shape of the opening. It is also possible to individually select the sizes and shapes of a right opening and a left opening. This enables the opening or openings to be suitable in size and shape for containers for children or for other use.
If a box has a see-through window formed on any of its six sides, it is easy to check the type and quantity of the things in the box from the outside, without opening the lid of the box. Therefore, each of the boxes according to the embodiments, which include a front panel (panels) with a lid (lids), a pair of side panels, a pair of back panels and a bottom panel, has a see-through window formed in at least one of the side and back panels so that what is held in the box can be checked through this window.
The box shown in
The small lid HCA includes a small front panel 1A, on which the small top part 4Ae is stuck. As stated above, the top part 4Ae is rectangular and longer in parallel with the back panels 3. When the lid HCA is opened and closed, its insert tab 11 serves as a part held by fingers.
The see-through windows 22 and 23 may be openings formed in predetermined shapes and fitted with a transparent or semi-transparent film or a resin plate. In particular, if the boxes hold what deteriorates with sunlight etc., it is preferable that their see-through windows be fitted with a resin plate that effectively screens harmful light. The shape of the see-through windows is not limited to circles as shown with solid lines. These windows could be elliptic, polygonal or star-shaped as shown with the chain lines (23) in
As is the case with the box H, the box H3 has a lid, an opening and a pair of guide flaps, which are not described below in detail. As shown in
The process for erecting the box H3 is described below with reference to 11A-11D.
The side flaps 6A are a pair of side flaps 6Aa away from the guide flaps 5 and a pair of side flaps 6Ab adjacent to the guide flaps 5.
As shown in
Consequently, as shown in
Each side flap 6Ab could be long enough to cover the adjacent side panel 7. It is preferable that each side flap 6Ab be long enough to at least overlap with the adjacent side flap 6Aa. In order that each guide flap 5 can smoothly slide, it is preferable that the adjacent side flap 6Ab be positioned just under the guide flap 5.
This enables each guide flap 5 to slide between the adjacent side flap 6Ab and side panel 7. Accordingly, while the front panel 1 of the lid is opened and closed, the guide flaps 5 on both its sides are guided slidably. Consequently, the front panel 1 can be opened and closed smoothly, and also be stopped and held temporarily in any open-closed position.
Because the side flaps 6Aa and 6Ab on each side of the box H3 overlap with each other, the strength of both sides of the box H3 and the sealing performance of the box increase, so that the box H3 is suitable as a packing container for holding things.
The first side panels 7C are shorter by a length L1 than the side panels 7 of the foregoing container H. The guide flaps 5 of the box H4 have a radius of L2 shorter than the length L1 and can turn on both sides of the inside panel 4. This makes it possible to erect the box H4 easily by bending the first side panels 7C after bending the guide flaps 5. The second side panels 7D extend over the whole length of both sides of the box H. The side flaps 6C on each side of the box H4 are long enough to overlap with each other. Consequently, the second side panels 7D and the side flaps 6C improve the strength and sealing performance of the box H4, even though the first side panels 7C are cut by the length L1.
Each first side panel 7C has a small insert flap 8A. Each second side panel 7D has a slot 24. The box H4 can be erected easily by bending the front panel 1, bottom panel 2, back panels 3A and 3B, and inside panel 4 on polygonal lines 12 into a tube, subsequently bending the guide flaps 5, side flaps 6C, second side panels 7D and first side panels 7C in that order, and finally inserting each insert flap 8A through the adjacent slot 24.
Because the box H4 can be erected by a series of operations as described above, it is a packing container that is very easy to erect. Because the box H4 securely prevents the protrusion or leakage of what is held in it, it is suitable as a packing container for holding small things. Because an expansion plan of the box H4 is roughly rectangular as shown in
As stated already, the insert flap 8A of each first side flap 7C is inserted through the slot 24 of the adjacent second side panel 7D. Alternatively, the insert flaps 8A could be long like the insert flaps 8 of the box H, and the first side panels 7C could be stuck on the outer side of the bottom panel 2. However, the insertion of the insert flaps 8A through the slots 24 makes the first side panels 7C free to be opened and closed. It is possible to select one of the two structures according to the function of a desired packing container.
As is the case with the foregoing box H, the opening of the box H4 consists of an open window 4B cut in advance and an open window formed after removed the top part 4A while erecting the box. This makes it possible to form an opening of a suitable size for what the box H4 holds.
As stated already, it is easy for the packing containers embodying the present invention to have an opening of arbitrary size. Accordingly, if each of the packing containers is formed with an opening having a size and a shape that are suitable for the things held in the container, it is easy to take out the things.
As stated already, it is possible to smoothly open and close the lid of each of the packing containers, and to hold the lid in a desired open position. This makes it even easier to take out the things held in the packing container. As stated already, after the top part of each of the packing containers is torn out along perforations, the perforations can be used as sealing means, and the lid of the container can be locked with its insert tab. This makes it easy to seal the lid again.
Therefore, the packing containers embodying the present invention can be used suitably to hold things that need to be put into or taken out of them frequently, or rubber bands or other things that are liable to deteriorate with light or the outside air.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2005-038601 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |
2005-197870 | Jul 2005 | JP | national |
2005-267099 | Sep 2005 | JP | national |