1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a container having a container volume that can be divided into two part volumes, in particular to hold shoes in pairs.
2. The Prior Art
DE 79 15 826 U1 describes a box-like container for dispatch, storage and sales purposes, in which a cuboid container can be divided into two half shells by a diagonal dividing plane. A similar container, in which the side walls are not exactly rectangular and the dividing plane deviates slightly from the diagonal, is disclosed by DE 298 225 504 U1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,542 discloses reassembling the two half shells of a diagonally divided cuboid container at two rectangular longitudinal sides and connecting them via tabs to form a parallelogram-shaped presentation stand.
DE 199 04 969 A1 shows a shoe packing container in the form of a hollow foam block divided into two parts by a dividing plane that is rotated with respect to a diagonal, whose parts in each case hold one shoe of a pair and are connected on one side along the dividing plane by an adhesive tape, so that the two half shells can be pivoted relative to each other about the line bridged by the adhesive tape.
Cuboid containers having two cuboid part volumes which rest on each other along a mid-plane parallel to two cuboid surfaces and can be pivoted with respect to each other about a connecting seam located in the mid-plane are known, for example from FR 27 30 699 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,223, DE 19 92 451 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,458.
DE 90 10 977 U1 shows a single-piece packaging box for shoes, whose cuboid lower part is sealed off by a lid arrangement divided into two, which is subdivided into two half lids by a center line parallel to the edges or a diagonal, the two half lids in each case being connected to the lower part along a cuboid edge and being capable of pivoted about the cuboid edge to be opened.
A container for shoes, disclosed by DE 196 21 281 A1, has, on one side of a cuboid basic body, a lid that can be folded out. A shoe box described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,290 in each case holds one of two shoes in two part volumes that can be pivoted relative to each other, both the part volumes and an overall body formed by the latter having a shape that is not cuboid with trapezoidal side surfaces.
The invention is based on the object of specifying an advantageous, novel container, particularly suitable for pairs of shoes.
The invention is described in the independent patent claim 1. The dependent claims contain advantageous embodiments and developments of the container according to the invention.
The container according to the invention is distinguished by its ability to be used flexibly, the assembled cuboid body again having in the first position of the two part volumes the known advantages of a low space requirement during transport and storage and high stability in the stacked arrangement and being present in the second position in a form which can be used in various alignments, is practical and particularly suitable for stylistic and presentation purposes as a result of its striking character.
By means of the additional supporting element provided by the invention, a further alignment of the container in the second position of the part volumes is advantageously possible, in particular in a straightforward manner, in such a form that the container is set up on a standing surface with one side face of the cuboid form facing the latter. The container preferably stands with the cuboid side flat on the standing surface. In this alignment of the container in the second position, one of the two part volumes, whose cuboid side surface, which in particular is the short cuboid side surface when the dividing surface is led diagonally, determines a standing plane and stands up with the latter on a standing surface, standing stably, whereas the other part volume does not contact the standing surface, or contacts it only with one corner edge, and otherwise extends upward from the standing surface without further support in such a way that the container, under certain circumstances, does not readily remain standing in this arrangement. This other part volume is supported with respect to the standing surface by the further supporting element. The supporting element ends with a supporting point, a supporting edge and/or a supporting surface in the standing plane determined by the side surface of the one part volume facing the standing surface. For this purpose, the supporting element can in particular form a supporting line which, in the standing plane, runs parallel to edges of the cuboid side surface of one part volume standing on the standing surface. Such a supporting element is preferably formed as an extension of the surface of one of the part surfaces of the divided lid surface.
According to a first advantageous embodiment, this extension of the surface can at the same time form a loop which can be pushed through the base surface in the first position of the container in order to carry the container. Another preferred embodiment has such a surface extension of the part surface of the lid surface of a first part volume which, in the first position with the cuboid form of the container, can cover the other part surface of the lid surface of a second part volume and advantageously engage around its cuboid edges by means of an edge fold.
The container can preferably be folded out in a manner known per se from a flat blank and, in the folded-up position, can be stabilized by adhesive bonding or insertion of individual elements. The flat blank results in a particularly low space requirement before the container is folded up. The container can also be constructed from a plurality of separate parts, preferably few separate parts. The obvious cost-effective material for the container is board but, because of the particular shape of the body, in particular in the second position of the part volumes and/or according to a development with a carrying loop in the first position, in order to assist the striking character of the container, other materials, in particular plastic, including transparent plastic, metal, combinations of such materials with one another and/or with textiles and fabrics with high material costs can be justified and appropriate. The container can also consist, entirely or in part surfaces, of textile material, leather etc., which, as a result of its own structure or by means of supporting frames, supporting surfaces or the like, is sufficiently surface dimensionally stable. The material can beneficially also be washable and/or wipeable. This is in particular advantageous for the use of the container for regular use as a portable container, for example as a sports shoe bag.
An advantageous embodiment of the container provides for the container to be able to be returned to the form of the flat blank again without destruction by means of the manner in which its surfaces or part surfaces are connected to form the part volume, and also cto be able toan be brought from the blank into the container form again, for example by means of plug-in connections, snap fastener connections or, in particular, touch and close connections. As a result, outside the times of use, the container is suitable for intermediate storage with a particularly low space requirement.
The container according to the invention is particularly suitable for holding pairs of shoes, the part volumes with approximately triangular part outline being matched particularly beneficially to the basic shape of shoes with a low height in the region of the point of the shoe and, by contrast, a greater height in the heel area, and each of the two preferably equally shaped part volumes accommodating an individual shoe of the pair. Each part volume can be covered separately with respect to the dividing surface, in particular by a dividing surface element that extends the lid surface toward the base surface.
The first and/or the second position of the part volumes can be stabilized by elements belonging to the container, such as tabs that can be folded over and/or inserted into slots, and so on, tabs that can be hooked into each other and which can already be taken into account when shaping a flat blank, but also additional elements such as touch and close fasteners; eyelets and tapes, and so on.
One development provides for plug-in tabs extending the part surfaces of the lid surface along the dividing surface toward the base surface to be able to be plugged through a slot in the base surface and, as handles, to project beyond the base surface, it being possible for the parts projecting beyond the base surface to be designed in particular as loops with a cutout. The cuboid body can then be carried by the handle sections of the plug-in tabs with the base surface pointing upward.
In the second relative position of the part volumes, the container can also be set up with the corners of the side walls remote from the dividing surface on a standing surface and can point upward with the dividing surface. When the part volumes are covered, the dividing surface can serve as a supporting surface, for example for the presentation of shoes. The distance between the corners standing on the standing surface in a direction parallel to the folding line is preferably at least 40% of the length of the dividing surface in the direction of the folding line, so that adequate standing strength of the container in this position is provided. The corners can be designed to be flattened off or rounded.
In the second relative position of the part volumes, the container can also be set up with the dividing surface facing the standing surface and can point upward with the corners of the side surfaces. The upwardly pointing side surfaces, in particular the less steeply aligned side surfaces, can be used as a storage surface, for example for shoes.
The decorative shape and ability of the container to be used flexibly in the second position of the part volumes, in particular the new standing possibility provided by the invention, makes said container attractive to use beyond the function as a storage container and transport container, so that a longer period of use until disposal can be achieved and/or the container can additionally be used as a room-styling element and presentation object.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is illustrated in more detail below using advantageous exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures, in which:
The part volumes TV1, TV2 can advantageously be closed off separately by respectively dedicated dividing surface elements TF1, TF2, which preferably continue the lid surfaces DF1 and DF2 toward the base surface along bend lines at the dividing line TL. The dividing surface elements can in turn continue in tabs LA, as sketched in
The two part volumes TV1 and TV2 can be divided along the dividing line TL and the corner edges ET and can be pivoted out relative to each other along the fold line from the first position sketched in FIG. 1 and
The container formed in the second position of the part volumes, as sketched in
The container sketched in
Parallel to the dividing line, in the base surface there runs a fold line FLS, which divides the base surface into a part surface GF1 and a part surface GF2. The part volumes TV1 and TV2 can be divided along the dividing line TL and can be pivoted relative to each other along the fold line FLS. Introduced in the course of the fold line FLS is a slot SS, through which, in extension of the part surfaces DF1, DF2, a loop BU with a handle cutout AU is pushed. In
Sketched in
On one or both part base surfaces, a contact adhesive point, touch and close point or the like can be fixed which, when the part base surface GF2 is placed on the part base surface GF1 in the folded-up state of the second position of the container, detachably holds the base surfaces GF1, GF2 together in this state with a limited holding force without destruction. The same can be provided in the two part surface elements TF1, TF2 on the sides which rest on each other in the cuboid shape, in order to stabilize the cuboid shape of the container further.
Of particular importance is the design of at least one, preferably both, of the part surface elements TF1, TF2 that extend the part surfaces DF1, DF2 in such a way that a supporting edge SK1 and SK2 is formed such that the dividing surface with the supporting edge permits a supporting element for the standing attitude sketched in FIG. 9. In this standing attitude, the short side face of a part volume, for example the side face SF21 of the second part volume TV3, faces a standing surface ST, preferably flat or at least resting on the latter with a longitudinal edge. The second part volume TV2, which, in the plane of the drawing, is shown lying behind the first part volume TV1, can be closed by the dividing surface element TF2.
The first part volume is spaced apart upward from the standing surface and runs downward toward the latter with the oblique side surface SF12, where the corner edge ET(U) can stand on the standing surface. The dividing surface element TF1 has been turned over outward with the integrally molded loop BU1 and placed on the part surface DF1 of the first part volume. Part surface DF1 and loop BU1 are aligned flat with respect to each other.
It is important that, in the standing attitude sketched in
Supporting elements with the significant function that the first part volume is supported at a point spaced apart from the second part volume and the front lower edge can feasibly be implemented in a large number of designs. The short side surface of the second part volume preferably rests substantially level and flat on the standing surface, and supporting edge and/or supporting point(s) and/or supporting surface of one or more supporting elements can be placed in a standing plane determined by the short side surface SF21 in the second, folded-up position of the container. For example, for the situation sketched in
Particularly advantageous is an embodiment with a lateral extension surface on the auxiliary surface HFA1, for example in the form of a wedge surface KEF1, whose connecting edge HK with the auxiliary surface has a slot HS from one side, preferably at a position spaced apart from the side surface SF12. The extension surface and the auxiliary surface are turned over rearward and downward when the container is opened for the standing position according to FIG. 9A and are positioned flat with the connecting edge and the slot under the supporting edge of the dividing surface element TF1. As a result of a rear section HA of the extension surface being bent over slightly in the region of the slot HS, as in
Instead of the container with a blank according to
The outline of the container, given by the lid surface and base surface, is not necessarily exactly rectangular, and the dividing surface is not absolutely exactly diagonal.
Further variants for the construction of supporting elements for the above-described function of supporting the first part volume in a standing attitude corresponding to
The part lid surface DF1 continues along a further fold line ZL which, in the projection at right angles to the lid surface, coincides with the dividing line TL hidden underneath it, in an additional surface TF, which covers the second part lid surface DF2 and is substantially equal to the latter in size and shape. Along its outer edges, facing away from the additional fold line ZL, the additional surface ZF has edge folds RFL, RFK which project at right angles to the plane of the surface and engage around the outer edges of the lid surface DF2 in the position sketched in FIG. 11. In this position of the container, the edge folds can be used in particular to hold the additional surface ZF reliably and in a simple way in the position parallel to the lid surface DF2 by engaging around and slightly clamping the second part volume along the outer edges of the part surface DF2.
The additional surface ZF with the edge folds can be raised off the second lid surface DF2, out of the position sketched in
The two part volumes can be folded away from each other in the manner described by being pivoted about the fold line FL in the base surface in the direction of arrow K2, the corner edges ET1, ET2 previously resting on each other being separated. This pivoting movement K2 is also carried out with a pivoting angle of 180°, so that the part surfaces GF1, GF2 of the base surface rest on each other in the folded-up state. In this folded-up state, the corner edges ET1, ET2 of the two part volumes run in alignment with each other in extension. In the projection at right angles to the base and lid surfaces, in the fully folded-up state, the additional surface ZF, the base part surface GF2 and the lid part surface DF2 are again aligned congruently. In particular, the short RFK of the two edge folds and the narrow cuboid side SF11 lie substantially in one plane. The second part volume lies between the additional surface ZF and the first part volume. The container can therefore be stood up on a standing surface ST in a manner corresponding to
The edge folds RFK, RFL, in this completely folded-up position, serve primarily to stabilize the additional surface ZF which forms the lateral support, facing away from the second part volume, for the first part volume. In the region of the edge folds RFL, RFK, further cartonboard sections that can also be folded out again can beneficially be contained which, by being folded over and plugged on to the further fold line ZL, hold the additional surface pivoted through 180° with respect to the part surface DF1 in this pivoted position. Other holding means such as adhesive points or touch and close points at corresponding locations on part surface DF2 and additional surface ZF have intrinsically already been mentioned and/or are known. Such holding elements may also in principle hold the additional surface ZF in the closed position sketched in FIG. 11.
In the folded-up position in FIG. 13 and
The above features and those specified in the claims and which can be gathered from the figures can advantageously be implemented both individually and in various combinations. The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the knowledge of those skilled in the art. In particular, in addition to the sketched examples for planar cross sections that can be folded up, other solutions are possible. In the folded-up container, part surfaces can also be connected nondetachably, for example adhesively bonded or stapled. Courses of fold lines, dividing lines, dividing surfaces, differing from the sketched examples, of a large range of variations are accessible within the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
100 65 448 | Dec 2000 | DE | national |
101 01 153 | Jan 2001 | DE | national |
101 44 237 | Sep 2001 | DE | national |
Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of GERMAN Application No. 100 65 448.7 filed on 27 Dec. 2000; GERMAN Application No. 101 01 153.9 filed on 12 Jan. 2001; and GERMAN Application No. 101 44 237.8 filed on 8 Sep. 2001. Applicants also claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §365 of PCT/EP01/15066 filed on 19 Dec. 2001. The international application under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP01/15066 | 12/19/2001 | WO | 00 | 6/11/2003 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO02/05172 | 7/4/2002 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1065922 | Cutler | Jul 1913 | A |
2446366 | Byrd | Aug 1948 | A |
3677458 | Gosling | Jul 1972 | A |
4256223 | Pawlowski | Mar 1981 | A |
4917290 | Saiko et al. | Apr 1990 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
19 92 451 | Aug 1968 | DE |
90 10 977 | Nov 1990 | DE |
196 21 281 | Nov 1996 | DE |
7 915 826 | Aug 1999 | DE |
199 04 969 | Aug 2000 | DE |
2 730 699 | Aug 1996 | FR |
1 152 168 | May 1969 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040041014 A1 | Mar 2004 | US |