Multipurpose foldable box

Abstract

 A multipurpose foldable box (10), built in one piece, is provided with swing side panels (2, 3, 4) connected to a bottom panel (1), one of them (2, 3, 4) being, in turn, provided with a creasing (7) to fold the same panel (2, 3 or 4) into two equal halves. A further panel (5) used as cover is connected to the creasing provided panel (2, 3 or 4) allowing for the minimum space requirement of the stored folded box.

Description

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a multipurpose foldable box, built in one piece, which can be folded on itself to a minimum volume size.

[0002] Thanks to its aforementioned features said foldable box, once empty, can be taken apart while reducing the overall dimensions and allowing space saving.

[0003] Therefore the main object of the present invention is to provide a box which can be fast and easily folded flat such that it can be kept in a very little space when there is no need to store any item therein.

[0004] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a top view of an unfolded preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

fig. 2 is a perspective front view of the mounted preferred embodiment in fig. 1;

fig. 3 is a perspective rear view of the mounted preferred embodiment in fig. 1; and

fig. 4 is a perspective view of the almost-folded preferred embodiment in fig. 1.

[0005] Referring now to fig. 1, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown in its unfolded configuration in which a rectangular bottom panel 1 is connected, along its opposite longer sides, to swing side panels 4 and, along its opposite shorter sides, to a swing front panel 2 and a swing rear panel 3. A rectangular top panel 5 is connected, along its left shorter side, to said rear panel 3 and, along its right shorter side, to a closure strip 6.

[0006] Each panel 4 is also provided with a set of snap buttons 4A - 4D respectively counter clockwise disposed at its corners. The front panel 2 is provided, along its shorter sides, with integral winglets each one housing a couple of snap buttons 2A - 2B. Similarly the rear panel 3 is provided, along its shorter sides, with integral winglets each one housing a couple of snap buttons 3A - 3B. The top panel 5 is provided, along its longer sides, with a couple of winglets housing respectively a snap button 5A and 5B, at the end next to the closure strip 6. Finally said closure strip 6 is, in turn, provided, at its opposite ends, with squared winglets housing respectively a snap button 6A and 6B.

[0007] A box mounting method will be now disclosed with reference to fig. 2 and fig. 1, in which each arrow indicates the rotation, around its lying down edge, allowed for each panel. Thus, in order to achieve the mounted box configuration, the side panels 4 have to be moved upright following the arrows 1; once opened front panel 2 and rear panel 3 winglets, said front panel 2 and rear panel 3 will be moved upright following the arrows II. It is then possible to lock this intermediate configuration by fastening button 2A within button 4A, button 2B within button 4B, button 3A within button 4D and button 3B within button 4C, on each side panel 4. At the end, in order to close the box, the top panel 5, once opened its winglets, can be rotated following the arrow III and fastening button 6A within button 5A, and button 6B within button 5B.

[0008] Referring now to fig. 1, fig. 3 and fig. 4, a line 7 is shown on each side of the rear panel 3. Said line 7 is used to indicate a creasing provided on the abovementioned panel 3. The creasing 7 represents the main feature of the present invention, since it allows the box to be folded: starting from the configuration in fig. 1, the box can be folded flat by rotating the side panels 4 following the arrows I till they lie on the bottom panel 1, rotating the front panel 2 and the rear panel 3 following the arrow II till they lie on the bottom panel 1, rotating the outer half of the rear panel 3 following arrow V till it lies on the other half of the same panel. Now the top panel edge coincides with the bottom panel edge thus allowing the top panel 5 to be rotated following the arrow III till it reach and lies on the bottom panel 1. in this manner the folded configuration is achieved with the minimum space requirement, which is the overall dimensions of the bottom panel 3 (or top panel 5 equal in size to the bottom panel 1).

[0009] The embodiment of the multipurpose foldable box 10 according to the present invention has heretofore been described. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited thereto, but different sizes, for example, can be provided for the top and bottom panels and/or the side and front-rear panels, in order to built boxes with different length, width and height. Further, the box according to the present invention can be formed with different material suitable to allow the creasing process.

Claims

1. A multipurpose foldable box (10) in one piece comprising:

(i) a rectangular bottom panel (1);

(ii) a couple of swing side panels (4) integral with said bottom panel (1) at the edges on two opposite sides thereof;

(iii) a swing front panel (2) integral with said bottom panel (1) at one of the two remaining side thereof;

(iv) a swing rear panel (3) integral with said bottom panel (1) at the remaining side thereof and provided with a creasing (7) parallel to said remaining side;

(v) a rectangular top panel (5) equal in size to said bottom panel (1) and integral with said rear panel (3) at the edge parallel to said creasing (7);

(vi) a closure strip (6) integral to said top panel (5);

each of said members (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) being provided at their free edges with side winglets housing fastening means in order to lock each member in position for the mounted configuration of the box (10), characterized by the fact that said creasing (7) is suitable to fold said panel (3) into two equal halves.

2. The multipurpose foldable box (10) according to claim 1, in which said fastening means are snap buttons suitably disposed at the corners of the side panels (4) and at the ends of the winglets.

Drawing