A corrugated fibreboard box

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a corrugated fibreboard box, and more particularly to a corrugated fibreboard shipping box for packing a stack of sheet materials of a predetermined number.

[0002] In packing a stack of sheet materials such as photosensitive plates consisting of aluminium substrates and photosensitive resin layers disposed thereon, a predetermined number of the sheet materials are stacked together and packed in an interior package and then further packed in a corrugated fibreboard shipping box.

[0003] Corrugated fibreboard shipping boxes are described in US-A-1 677 918. Flaps there are folded to form hollow cushions but they are not folded tightly to form end portions which are "full" of material.

[0004] Also US-A-3 516 593 discloses a shipping box in which the flaps are folded reversally at the end. Therefore those flaps cannot be folded repeatedly many times into tightly folded portions.

[0005] A basic disadvantage of those hollow cushions formed around shipping boxes of the prior art is a lack of stability against knocks and hits from the outside.

[0006] It is the purpose of the invention to improve the stability of corrugated shipping boxes which are able to sufficiently support sheet material having comparatively high weight. Especially stability against knocks and hits should be improved.

[0007] These objects are accomplished by this invention as claimed. Especially in accordance with the present invention as claimed the automatic packing by use of a packing machine is possible.

[0008] The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to particular embodiments thereof referring to accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a box blank of the corrugated fibreboard box in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the corrugated fibreboard box containing a stack of sheet materials in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3A is a fragmentary plan view showing a part of a corrugated fibreboard,

Figure 3B is a sectional view showing a part of the corrugated fibreboard as shown in Figure 3A for explaining the dimensions of the corrugated fibreboard bent,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the folded portion of the corrugated fibreboard box in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view partly broken away of the corrugated fibreboard shipping box in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1 in which a stack of sheet materials are contained.

[0009] Now a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The structure of the corrugated fibreboard shipping box in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will best be understood referring to Figures 1 and 2. Referring to Figure 1, the box blank com- proses a bottom section 1, side sections 3A and 3B connected to the opposite sides of the bottom section 1, top half sections 2A and 2B connected further to the sides of the side sections 3A and 3B, bottom flaps 4 and 6 connected to the opposite ends of the bottom section 1, and top flaps 5A, 7A and 5B, 7B connected to the opposite ends of the top half sections 2A and 2B, respectively. The flaps 4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A and 7B are provided with parallel fold lines F1, F2, F3 and F4 so that the flaps may be folded inside as shown in Figure 2. At the ends of the side sections 3A and 3B are formed slots between the adjacent flaps. The folding lines F1 to F4 are provided by use of a slitter-scorer when the box blank is made. The creases between the adjacent sections 1, 3A, 3B, 2A and 2B may also be provided when the box blank is cut out and pressed.

[0010] The top section of the corrugated fibreboard shipping box is divided into two top half sections 2A and 2B in order to increase the strength of the box at the both sides of the sheet material on the top of the stack. When the top section is not divided, the top section is sealed to the side section along one side of the top section, which lowers the strength of the box at the side. When the top section is divided into two half sections as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the ends of the top half sections 2A and 2B are sealed together at the middle of the top, which increases the strength of the box at the corners or sides on the top thereof.

[0011] The flaps 4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A and 7B are folded inside at the folding lines or scores F1 to F4 as shown in Figure 2 to form folded end portions 4P and 5P which abut on each other to close an open end of the box.

[0012] Now the dimensions of the flaps with scores will be described in detail with reference to figures 3A, 3B and 4. In order that a corrugated fibreboard is folded to provide an inner size of C as shown in Figure 3B, the fibreboard must be folded or bent at the folding lines F spaced by a distance C plus the thickness of the fibreboard Th as shown in Figure 3A. When the thickness of the stack of sheet materials to be packed in a shipping box is T, the thickness of the folded end portions 4P and 5P should be T/2 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Assuming now that the thickness of the stack of the sheet material T is four times as large as the thickness of the fibreboard Th, which is normally 3 to 6 mm, that is there is a relationship of T = 4Th, the dimensions of the spaces between the scores F1 to F4 are calculated to be C = B - Th/2, C2 = Th, C3 = B and C4 = 2Th as shown in Figure 4. By folding the flaps at these scores F1 to F4, the folded end portions having a thickness of B x T/2 can be obtained.

[0013] When the thickness of the folded end portions is to be (B ± a) x (T/2 ± a), the spaces C1 and C2 are made to be (B - Th/2) ± a, and Th ± a. The distances C3, C4 are determined on basis of the distances C1, C2 and the thickness of the corrugated fibreboard Th. Thus, the proper distances C1 to C4 can be simply determined in accordance with the thickness of the stack of sheet materials to be packed.

[0014] The length L1 of the bottom section 1, side sections 3A and 3B, and top half sections 2A and 2B is made longer than the actual length of the sheet materials to be packed by the length of the folded end portions B x 2 at the opposite ends thereof.

[0015] When the corrugated fibreboard shipping box constructed as described above is used for packing a stack of sheet materials, the flaps 4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A and 7B are at first folded inside to form the folded end portions 4P and 5P (7P is not shown in the drawing). The strength of the folded end portions can be much increased by applying adhesive on the interior of the flap so that the folded portion is folded tight. The sheet materials are stacked and placed on the center of the bottom section 1 and the folded end portions 4P and 6P are located to hold the stack of sheet materials at the end faces of the stack. Then, the side sections 3A and 3B are bent upward along the side faces of the stack, and then the top half sections 2A and 2B are folded on the top of the stack. The folded end portions 5P and 7P are brought to the position to hold the stack in the placed position as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The upper folded end portions 5P and 7P and the lower folded end portions 4P and 6P are bound together by use of adhesive. The top half sections 2A and 2B are bound together by use of a gum tape to completely seal the slit between the top half sections 2A and 2B.

[0016] In the above described embodiment of the invention, the flaps are provided with four folding lines or scores F1 to F4. It will be understood, however, that the number of the scores is not limited to four but may be properly selected according to the thickness of the stack of sheet materials.

[0017] Further, it is possible to initially provide a number of scores and properly crush some parts between some scores according to the thickness of the stack to be packed, whereby it is prevented to prepare a various kinds of box blanks for different thicknesses of stacks.

[0018] In accordance with the present invention, a corrugated fibreboard shipping box which has a function similar to the conventional fibreboard shipping box provided with shock absorbing pads can be obtained only by folding a box blank. Therefore, the troublesome work for preparing a number of pads and adhering the pads to the predetermined positions of the box can be omitted. Further, in accordance with the corrugated fibreboard shipping box of this invention, the edges and corners of the packed stack of sheet materials are well protected. In addition, the folded end portions formed by the flaps at both of the ends of the top half sections and the bottom section are more advantageous than the folded end portions formed only one of the bottom section and the top half sections in that the strength thereof is improved. Therefore, by the folded end portions having such a high strength is sufficiently able to protect the stack of sheet materials having a large weight such as the photosensitive plates consisting of an aluminium substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed thereon.

Claims

1. A corrugated fibreboard shipping box for packing and protecting an article or articles having a flat rectangular shape and a certain thickness comprising a rectangular bottom section (1), a pair of rectangular side sections (3A, 3B) connected to the opposite parallel sides of the bottom section (1) and extending perpendicular to the bottom section (1), a pair of rectangular flaps (4, 6) connected to the opposite parallel ends of the bottom section (1), a pair of top half sections (2A, 2B) connected to the sides of the side sections (3A, 3B) parallel to the opposite sides of the bottom section (1) and extending parallel to the bottom section (1), said top half sections (2A, 2B) having widths the sum of which is equal to the width of the bottom section (1), characterized by two pairs of rectangular flaps (5A, 7A, 5B, 7B) each connected to the opposite ends of a different one of the pair of top half sections (2A, 2B) with said flaps (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) having folding lines which are so spaced with respect to the thickness of the corrugated board that the flaps when folded inside will form tightly folded end portions to close opposite open ends of the box, the sum of the thickness of the tightly folded end portions (4, 6) connected to the bottom section (1) and the thickness of the tightly folded end portions (5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) connected to the top half sections (2A, 2B) being equal to the thickness of the article or articles to be packed.

2. A corrugated fibreboard shipping box as claimed in Claim 1 in which said top half sections (2A, 2B) are rectangular in shape.

3. A corrugated fibreboard shipping box as claimed in Claim 2 in which each of said top half sections (2A, 2B) has a width half of the width of the bottom section (1

4. A corrugated fibreboard shipping box as claimed in Claim 1 in which said flaps (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) have parallel folding lines.

5. A corrugated fibreboard shipping box as claimed in Claim 1 in which said flaps (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) are applied with adhesive and bound together after being folded.

Revendications

1. Boîte d'expédition en carton ondulé pour emballer et protéger un article ou plusieurs articles de forme rectangulaire plane et d'une certaine épaisseur, comprenant une section de fond rectangulaire (1), deux sections latérales rectangulaires (3A, 3B) se raccordant aux côtés parallèles opposés de la section de fond (1) et s'étendant perpendiculairement à cette section de fond (1), deux rabats rectangulaires (4, 6) se raccordant aux extrémités parallèles opposées de la section de fond (1), deux demi-sections supérieures (2A, 2B) se raccordant aux côtés des sections latérales (3A, 3B) parallèles aux côtés opposés de la section de fond (1) et s'étendant parallèlement à la section de fond (1), ces demi-sections supérieures (2A, 2B) ayant des largeurs dont la somme est égale à la largeur de la section de fond (1), caractérisée par deux paires de rabats rectangulaires (5A, 7A, 5B, 7B) dont chacun est raccordé aux extrémités opposées d'une demi-section différente des paires de demi-sections (2A, 2B), avec ces rabats (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) ayant des lignes de pliage espacées en fonction de l'épaisseur du carton ondulé de telle sorte que, lorsqu'ils sont repliés vers l'intérieur, les rabats forment des portions terminales repliées serrées pour fermer les extrémités ouvertes opposées de la boîte, la somme de l'épaisseur des portions terminales repliées serrées (4, 6) raccordées à la section de fond (1) et l'épaisseur des portions terminales repliées serrées (5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) raccordées aux demi-sections supérieures (2A, 2B) étant égales à l'épaisseur de l'objet ou des objets à emballer.

2. Boîte d'expédition en carton ondulé selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle les demi-sections supérieures (2A, 2B) sont rectangulaires.

3. Boîte d'expédition en carton ondulé selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle chaque demi-section supérieure (2A, 2B) a une largeur égale à la demi-largeur de la section de fond (1).

4. Boîte d'expédition en carton ondulé selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle les rabats (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) ont des lignes de pliage parallèles.

5. Boîte d'expédition en carton ondulé selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle les rabats (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) sont revêtus de colle et fixés ensemble après pliage.

Ansprüche

1. Wellpappe-Versandkarton zum Verpacken und Schützen eines oder mehrerer Artikel (s), der eine flache, rechteckige Form sowie eine bestimmte Dicke hat, mit einem rechteckigen Bodenabschnitt (1), einem Paar rechteckiger rechteckiger Seitenabschnitte (3A, 3B), die an den einander gegenüberliegenden Parallelseiten des Bodenabschnittes (1) angeschlossen sind und sich senkrecht zum Bodenabschnitt (1) erstrecken, einem Paar rechteckiger Klappen (4, 6), die mit dem gegenüberliegenden parallelen Ende des Bodenabschnittes (1) verbunden sind, und einem Paar oberer Halbabschnitte (2A, 2B), die mit den Seiten der Seitenabschnitte (3A, 3B) verbunden sind, welche parallel zu den gegenüberliegenden Seiten des Bodenabschnittes (1) liegen und sich parallel zu dem Bodenabschnitt (1) erstrecken, wobei die oberen Halbabschnitte (2A, 2B) eine derartige Breite haben, daß die Summe der Breiten gleich der Breite des Bodenabschnittes (1) ist, gekennzeichnet durch zwei Paare rechteckiger Klappen (5A, 7A, 5B, 7B,), von denen jede mit den gegenüberliegenden Enden jeweils eines anderen der Halbabschnitte (2A, 2B) des Paares oberer Halbabschnitte verbunden ist, wobei die Klappen (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) Knicklinien aufweisen, die bezüglich der Dicke der Wellpappe mit derartigem Abstand angeordnet sind, daß die Klappen im nach Innen gefalteten Zustand dicht gefaltete Endabschnitte zum Verschließen gegenüberliegender offener Enden des Kartons bilden, und wobei die Summe der Dicken der dichtgefalteten Endabschnitte (4, 6), welche mit dem Bodenabschnitt (1) verbunden sind, und der dichtgefalteten Endabschnitte (5A, 5B, 7A, 7B), welche mit den oberen Halbabschnitten (2A, 2B) verbunden sind, gleich der Dicke des oder der zu verpackenden Artikel (s).

2. Wellpappe-Versandkarton nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die oberen Halbabschnitte (2A, 2B) Rechteckform haben.

3. Wellpappe-Versandkarton nach Anspruch 2, bei dem jeder der oberen Halbabschnitte (2A, 2B) eine Breite entsprechend der halben Breite des Bodenabschnittes (1) hat.

4. Wellpappe-Versandkarton nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die Klappen (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) parallele Knicklinien aufweisen.

5. Wellpappe-Versandkarton nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die Klappen (4, 6, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B) nach dem Falten mit Kleber versehen und miteinander verbunden sind.

Drawing