OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an improved transparent or translucent box for footwear,
which allows seeing the footwear inside it, substantially improving the traditional
format of the typical cardboard boxes, contributing many more advantages in the manufacture,
handling and finishing of the box; control of the product within, storage and subsequent
use given that once the merchandise is sold, the traditional box is usually thrown
away without any apparent reuse in connection with the footwear, which, in this case,
is particularly useful and practical for storing it given that the permanent view
of the footwear makes locating it easy, without having to take the footwear out of
the box.
[0002] Up to now it has not been possible to substitute the traditional cardboard boxes,
made up of a body and a cover and with a rectangular parallelepiped configuration
due to the optimal conditions of storage, stacking, footwear packaging, protection
of the footwear and labelling possibilities for identifying with certain ease the
form, model, colour, size and others. These features are especially improved with
the incorporation of the transformation of the box into a transparent box, especially
moulded or configured in plastic materials of small thickness such as is provided
in the background of the state of the art of the very applicant and inventor, with
different design versions depending on the image that is to be given to the content
and its use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] To such effect and in reference to the foregoing, reference is made to
Spanish Utility Model U 200000253 for a TRANSPARENT SHOE BOX dated February 04, 2000, and Community Industrial Design
No. K 197 959 dated July 06, 2004, which disclose a box with a rectangular parallelepiped format consisting of a body
and a cover fitted on the contour of the former and with a certain inner relief on
said body for coupling of the footwear, but although this is a reinforcement of the
structure it implies a complication in the moulding process and it dissipates the
clarity of visibility of the footwear.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In order to maintain the inventive step corresponding to the transparent or translucent
features of the box and its traditional body and cover format, and in order to persist
in the suitable materialising conditions for manufacturing the box in a sufficiently
ductile or flexible plastic material of little thickness which advantageously makes
the box unbreakable and cheaper, for example a polycarbonate, methacrylate or another
manufactured or configured material, an appropriate structuring becomes necessary
in order to assemble said box and prevent the deformation thereof when the weight
of the footwear within it tends to deform the box, rather the body of the box, especially
when the cover is removed, which cover in any case stiffens it to a certain extent.
[0005] To this end and in order to speed up the manufacture and make it cheaper, a laminar
die-cut template is arranged on the aforementioned transparent materials comprising
on the one hand the pattern for the body and on the other hand that of the cover,
provided with overlapping means on the edges or rims of the different sides, flanks
and ends in alternative arrangements which, once folded along their respective folding
creases, join said parts to one another to stiffen said two parts.
[0006] For this purpose, the invention also provides for reinforcing the free or open edges
of said referred parts, in any of the different forms of the box, with a U-shaped
profile rigid rib, preferably in stainless steel, which fits and closes on said edges
occupying them almost completely, except for the corners of said parts in a small
portion which is likewise reinforced.
[0007] To reinforce said corners the invention has angled corner protectors provided, also
with a U-shaped profile, which have wedge-shaped underpinnings in the inner walls
of said profile, in order to equally adjust and close on the edges of the corners
of the body of the box and fit or embed said corner protectors against the edges of
the ribs making said corner protectors impossible to disassemble, such that without
altering the moulded box and, in a subsequent manufacturing stage, said reinforcements
are assembled providing it with the necessary rigidity and without taking away the
transparent character thereof given that said arrangement is in its case covered by
the peripheral tab of the cover, which it also serves to tighten so that it does not
open or fall by chance, camouflaging the reinforcement of the body and leaving, in
any case, that of the cover visible.
[0008] According to the invention it is a fundamental function of the box the ability to
see the footwear, providing advantages that the traditional box did not provide, improving
its usefulness, possibly being of any transparent or translucent material made of
plastic, polycarbonates, methacrylates, glass or others, their shapes, design, dimensions
and the like being alterable depending on the market demands in relation to the purpose
and specific features of the product it is intended for.
[0009] Within the possible embodiment options the presentation of the box format is considered
in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with a cover; with a box and removable
drawer format; with a format of a box with a folding side cover; with an articulated
traditional cover and with the respective parts reinforced in the manner described
in the previous features.
[0010] In another embodiment option, a format is provided in which the cover and the box
are provided with lateral handle means associated with corresponding closing means
on the cover which allows closing by overlapping said cover, leaving openings in the
box which serve as handles.
[0011] A wider idea of the features of the invention shall be given below, by making reference
to the sheets of drawings which are enclosed with this specification, where the preferred
details of the invention are shown rather schematically and only as an example.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012]
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the box (1) with separated cover (3) and body
(2), and the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs (4) on the edge thereof.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the corner (5) of said body (2) and
of the reinforcing corner protection (6).
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a sectioned detail of the reinforcing corner
protection (6).
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the reinforcing corner protection (6).
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the body (2) of the box (1) with the arrangement
of the complete reinforcement on the edge thereof.
Figure 6 shows a developed view of the laminar template with the box body pattern.
Figure 7 shows a developed view of the laminar template with the box cover pattern.
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a removable drawer box model. And Figure 8A is
a developed view of the sheet for the box body.
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a box model with a folding side cover. And Figure
9A is a developed view of the sheet of the assembly.
Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a box with an articulated cover.
Figures 11 and 12 show open and closed perspective views of a box with handles on
two sides.
Figures 13 and 14 show details of the manner of assembling said handle fasteners.
Figure 15 shows a section view according to line I-I of Figure 14.
Figures 16 and 17 show developed views of the box and cover sheets of Figures 11 and
12.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Generally according to said illustrations, the footwear box (1) of the invention
with the traditional cardboard box format used to this effect, manufactured in transparent
or translucent materials which allow to see inside them, preferably ductile, malleable
or rigid plastic materials of any type but which are tear-resistant, and in which
in order to be suitably assembled so that they maintain structural rigidity and resistance,
the body (2) is reinforced by means of a stainless steel rib (4) with an inverted
U-shaped profile which is assembled on the open edges of the box body (2) and cover
(3), except in the corners (5) (5A), respectively, closing upon them by means of a
mechanical compressing or nipping action.
[0014] The corners (5), (5A) are equally covered by means of corner protectors (6) of angular
shape (7) and an inverted U-shaped section (8) with wedge-shaped underpinnings (9)
on the side walls to ensure the pressure of said part in the corners (5) (5A), and
ribs (9A) which perform the underpinning against the inner edge of the rib (4) to
prevent these from dislodging.
[0015] Thus the box (1) is totally assembled and cannot be deformed, the transparent character
of said box (1) being unaffected, such that the peripheral tab (10) of the cover (3)
covers the reinforcement of the body (2) while at the same time acting as an adjustment
for a suitable closing of said cover (3) on the body (2).
[0016] According to the invention, both parts (2) and (3) are preferably made from a transparent
or translucent laminar sheet of little thickness in a plastic material (2A) and (3A)
(Figures 6 and 7), with the unfolded format of the body (2) and the cover (3) of the
box (1) which is made up of, in each case, the base sector (20) (30) of two symmetrical
sides (21) and (22); (31) and (32); two symmetrical ends (23) and (24); (33) and (34);
alternatively provided with grooves (25), (35) and tongues (26) and (36) in each case
on their respective vertical edges, which overlap to form the mentioned body (2) and
cover (3).
[0017] In another model the transparent box (1) of Figure 8 has a body (11), the development
of which is shown in Figure 8A, in which the corresponding drawer (12) is housed which
is extracted by sliding and which is equally reinforced by a rib (4) and corner protectors
(6) and optionally has a loop (12A) to aid is extraction.
[0018] In another model the transparent box (1) of Figure 9 is formed by a body (11) which
on one of its sides has a folding cover (13), the development of which is shown in
Figure 9A, that folds over an articulated edge (14) which equally has reinforcements
(4) and (6) and optionally has a loop (12A) and handles (11A).
[0019] In another model the transparent box (1) of Figure 10 has a body (11) and a cover
(15) articulated by means of compass-type articulating members (16) in which, as in
the previous case, the cover is always joined to the body of the box, which has a
fastener (15A) over the anchor (15B) and equally has chest-like reinforcements (4)
and (6).
[0020] In another model the transparent box (1) of Figure 10 has a body (11) and a cover
(19) which on two of its opposite sides has symmetrical die-cuttings providing a flap
(17) which by simple deviation houses in as many grooves (18) die-cut on the box (11)
in direct connection with the flaps (17) to allow, on the one hand, the hooked fastening
thereof and, on the other hand, the option of holding the box by the openings, which
show their respective developments in Figures 16 and 17 with equal identifications
as in Figures 6 and 7.
[0021] Once the nature of the invention is conveniently described, it is suitably set forth
that the same is not limited to the exact details of this description, but that on
the contrary, suitable modifications shall be introduced therein as long as they do
not alter the essential features thereof, which are claimed below.
1. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear, of the type made up of a
shoebox of traditional format, with a body and cover in transparent material and conveniently
assembled,
characterised in that it is a box
(1) developed from a laminar sheet of small thickness in plastic transparent or translucent
ductile, malleable or rigid tear resistant material or similar, which allows to see
inside, which has been assembled by reinforcements on the open edge of the body (2)
and the cover (3) by means of a metallic rib (4), closed thereon, except on the corners
(5) of each part, which are covered with other corresponding and equally metal corner
protectors (6) fixed by pressure and underpinned to the rib (4).
2. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to the previous
claim, in which the laminar sheet configuring the body and cover of the box is characterised in that it has a pattern (2A) for the body and another pattern (3A) for the box in a single
piece having a base sector (20) and (30), two equal side sectors (21 and 22); (31
and 32); with two equal end sectors (23 and 24); (33 and 34) and alternatively provided
with grooves (25) and flaps (26) on their edges for assembling said parts to one another.
3. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which
said metallic ribs are characterised in that they are inverted U-shaped metal profiles (4) and preferably in stainless steel.
4. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which
the corresponding corner protectors for closing and protecting the corners of the
body are characterised in that they are metal parts with angular shape (7), preferably in stainless steel, with
inverted U-shape profile (8) having inside wedge-shaped underpinnings (9) on the side
walls with ribs (9A) to fit by pressure over said corners (5) of the body (2) and
against the rib (4).
5. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which
the reinforcement of the body in all its contour is characterised in that it is covered by the peripheral tab (10) of the cover (3) of the box (1) to which
said reinforcement provides adjustment.
6. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which
in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it is made up of a body (11) where a sliding drawer (12) is guided, and which is
removed by one of its sides and has reinforcements the same as those of the body (2)
and the cover (3) and optionally a front loop (12A) to allow extraction thereof.
7. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claims 1 and
6, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it also has a body (11) and a folding cover (13) which, on one of its sides is joined
to the box by means of an articulation edge (14) and also has reinforcements (4) and
(6), a front loop (12A) and optionally handles (11A).
8. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claims 1, 6 and
7, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it also has a body (11) and a cover (15) articulated by means of mechanical compass-type
members (16), with closing means (15A) and anchoring means (15B), and chest-like reinforcements
(4) and (6).
9. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claims 1, 6 to
8, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it has a body (11) and a loose cover (19), both equally with reinforcements (4) and
(6), which cover, on two of its opposite sides, is provided with deformable die-cuttings
in the shape of flaps (17) which fit into respective grooves (18) of the body (11)
directly opposing them to secure the fastening and allow holding.