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(11) | EP 3 202 679 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | CONTAINER FOLDED FROM SHEET |
| (57) A container (100) folded from sheet (1) is provided in the invention. A plurality
of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) are connected in a row to a bottom plane (10) and
form the container (100) with the bottom plane (10). At least two engagement pieces
(25, 45) are extended from sides of at least two non-adjacent side planes (20, 40)
for coupling to each other with their engaging portions (251, 252, 451, 452) at both
ends when the plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) are folded toward a same side
of the bottom plane (10), so as to maintain the bottom plane (10) and the side planes
(20, 30, 40, 50) in shape of the container (100). Handle pieces (35, 55) extended
from the other side planes (30, 50) have hooks (352, 354, 552, 554) cut and folded
therefrom to further couple to openings (255, 256, 455, 456) of corresponding engaging
portions (251, 252, 451, 452) so that the two engaging portions (251, 252, 451, 452)
coupling with each other may further be tightly clipped from outside the container
(100) toward the side plane and a convenient container (100) with specific containing
room may be provided therefrom.
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Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a container folded from a single sheet according to the pre-characterizing clause of claim 1.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Containers for solid or liquid have always been a problem of space occupation when not in use, especially when they are put to use in high mobile occasions, outdoor activities such as mountain climbing or camping for example, conventional containers are never a proper consideration.
[0003] To get over such predicament, some foldable containers can be seen in the market that have minimal size of a flat sheet before they are workable. Such containers will have fixed containing room when folding the flat sheet following a certain way. However, there are ways of how to make a foldable container from a sheet, which of them require additional fastening means for effectively fixing the container.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] This in mind, the present invention aims at providing a container folded from a single sheet without the need of further fastening means.
[0005] This is achieved by a container according to claim 1. The dependent claims pertain to corresponding further developments and improvements.
[0006] As will be seen more clearly from the detailed description following below. The claimed container includes a bottom plane, a plurality of side planes, and two engagement pieces. Each of the plurality of side planes is connected to the bottom plane and has a connection portion respectively at both sides adjacent to two side planes. Each two adjacent side planes are connected to each other via two adjacent connection portions. The two engagement pieces are respectively extended from an opposite side of two non-adjacent side planes. The opposite side is opposite to a side through which the side plane is connected to the bottom plane. Each of the two engagement pieces has engaging portions at both ends. The plurality of side planes is foldable toward a same side of the bottom plane with respect to the bottom plane to form the container. The engaging portion at one end of one engagement piece is coupled to the engaging portion at one end of the other engagement piece, and the engaging portion at the other end of one engagement piece is coupled to the engaging portion at the other end of the other engagement piece, so that the bottom plane and the plurality of side planes are maintained in shape to form the container.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007] In the following, the invention is further illustrated by way of example, taking reference to the accompanying drawings. Thereof:
Fig.1 is an illustration of a sheet according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is an illustration of half product of the container folded from the sheet, and
Fig.3 is an illustration of the container folded from the sheet.
Detailed Description
[0008] Please refer to Fig.1. Fig.1 is an illustration of a sheet according to the invention. The sheet 1 includes a bottom plane 10, a plurality of side planes, two engagement pieces 25, 45, and two handle pieces 35, 55. In this embodiment, the sheet 1 has four side planes, a first side plane 20, a second side plane 30, a third side plane 40, and a fourth side plane 50. The first side plane 20, the second side plane 30, the third side plane 40, and the fourth side plane 50 are connected to the bottom plane 10 respectively. To be more specifically, the first side plane 20 and the third side plane 40 are oppositely positioned and the second side plane 30 and the fourth side plane 50 are oppositely positioned. Each side plane has a connection portion respectively at both sides adjacent to two side planes and each two adjacent side planes are connected to each other via two adjacent connection portions. Take the embodiment in Fig.1 for example, the first side plane 20 has connection portions 22, 24 at both sides, the second side plane 30 has connection portions 32, 34 at both sides, the third side plane 40 has connection portions 42, 44 at both sides, and the fourth side plane 50 has connection portions 52, 54 at both sides. The connection portion 22 and the connection portion 52 are connected to each other, the connection portion 24 and the connection portion 34 are connected to each other, the connection portion 32 and the connection portion 42 are connected to each other, and the connection portion 44 and the connection portion 54 are connected to each other.
[0009] The two engagement pieces 25, 45 are respectively extended from an opposite side of two non-adjacent side planes, where the opposite side means the side of a side plane opposite to a side through which the side plane is connected to the bottom plane 10. In this embodiment, the engagement piece 25 is extended from an opposite side 202 of the first side plane 20 and the engagement piece 45 is extended from an opposite side 402 of the third side plane 40. The engagement piece 25 is composed by an engaging body 250 and two engaging portions 251, 252. The engaging body 250 is directly extended from the opposite side 202 of the first side plane 20, whereas the engaging portions 251, 252 are respectively extended from both ends of the engaging body 250 and hanging to the engaging body 250. The other engagement piece 45 is also composed by an engaging body 450 and two engaging portions 451, 452. The engaging body 450 is directly extended from the opposite side 402 of the third side plane 40, whereas the engaging portions 451, 452 are respectively extended from both ends of the engaging body 450 and hanging to the engaging body 450. Additionally, each engaging portion 251, 252, 451, 452 has an opening 255, 256, 455, 456 respectively and an L-shape slit 253, 254, 453, 454, in which the L-shape slits 253, 453 are cut opened along a first direction L1 and the L-shape slits 254, 454 are cut opened along a second direction L2.
[0010] Two handle pieces 35, 55 are connected to an opposite side 302 of the second side plane 30 and an opposite side 502 of the fourth side plane 50 respectively. The handle piece 35 includes two hooks 352, 354 and the handle piece 55 includes two hooks 552, 554. The hooks 352, 354 and the hooks 552, 554 are respectively formed by bending cut-off parts of the handle pieces 35, 55. It should be noted that for the embodiment in Fig.1, the sheet 1 includes four side planes and therefore, the engagement pieces 25, 45 and the handle pieces 35, 55 stagger and connect to the plurality of side planes around the bottom plane 10. In other embodiments, the sheet 1 may also include more than four side planes, whereas the engagement pieces 25, 45 or more may be connected to a plurality of non-adjacent side planes and the handle pieces 35, 55 or more may be connected to a plurality of non-adjacent side planes.
[0011] Please refer to Fig.2 and Fig.3. Fig. 2 is an illustration of half product of the container folded from the sheet and Fig.3 is an illustration of the container folded from the sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the container 100 is a paper container but is not a limitation. In this embodiment, the first side plane 20, the second side plane 30, the third side plane 40, and the fourth side plane 50 are respectively foldable toward a same side of the bottom plane 10 with respect to the bottom plane 10 to form a container 100. During the folding process, the adjacent connection portions of any two adjacent side planes will overlap and protrude outward the container. For example, in Fig.2, the connection portion 22 of the first side plane 20 and the connection portion 52 of the fourth side plane 50 overlap and form an overlapping portion 28 outside the adjacent first side plane 20 and forth side plane 50 as illustrated in Fig.3. The connection portion 44 of the third side plane 40 and the connection portion 54 of the fourth side plane 50 overlap and form an overlapping portion 48 outside and at intersection of the adjacent third side plane 40 and forth side plane 50. As for overlapping of the connection portion 24 of the first side plane 20 and the connection portion 34 of the second side plane 30, and for the overlapping of the connection portion 42 of the third side plane 40 and the connection portion 32 of the second side plane 30, they form the overlapping portions in the same way and the description is omitted here for brevity.
[0012] After the first side plane 20, the second side plane 30, the third side plane 40, and the fourth side plane 50 respectively folding toward the same side of the bottom plane 10, the engagement pieces 25, 45 are further reflexed outward with respect to the first side plane 20 and the third side plane respectively. As shown in the figures, the hanging extended engaging portions 251, 451 are coupled to each other at the side of the fourth side plane 50 and the hanging extended engaging portions 252, 452 are coupled to each other at the side of the second side plane 30, which is invisible in the figure because of the perspective of the figure. The coupling of the engaging portions serves to maintain the first side plane 20, the second side plane 30, the third side plane 40, the fourth side plane 50, and the bottom plane 10 in shape to form the container 100. More specifically, after the engagement pieces 25, 45 are reflexed outward with respect to the first side plane 20 and the third side plane 40 respectively, the L-shape slit 253 of the engaging portion 251 cut opened along the first direction L1 faces right toward the L-shape slit 453 of the engaging portion 451 also cut opened along the first direction. In such status, the L-shape slit 253 and the L-shape slit 453 can be coupled to each other, which therefore provides coupling between the engaging portion 251 of the engagement piece 25 and the engaging portion 451 of the engagement piece 45. Likewise, the engaging portion 252 on the other side has an L-shape slit 254 cut opened along the second direction L2 facing right toward an L-shape slit 454 of the engaging portion 452 cut opened along the second direction L2. In such status, the L-shape slit 254 and the L-shape slit 454 can be coupled to each other, which therefore provides coupling between the engaging portion 252 of the engagement piece 25 and the engaging portion 452 of the engagement piece 45.
[0013] Please refer to Fig.3. After the engaging portions 251, 451 are coupled to each other and the engaging portions 252, 452 are coupled to each other, the connection portions of every two adjacent side planes overlap and form outside the adjacent side planes two neighboring overlapping portions 28, 48, extended from the intersections of every two adjacent side planes. The overlapping portions 28, 48 are clamped between two engaging portions 251, 451 coupling to each other and the fourth side plane 50 (the overlapping portions at the other side have similar structural relation with the engaging portions and the side plane). To further tightly put together the engaging portions, the overlapping portions, and the side plane where the portions are located, the hooks 552, 554 of the handle piece 55 connected to the fourth side plane 50 can be bent outward and downward for further engagement to the opening 255 of the engaging portion 251 and to the opening 455 of the engaging portion 451 (as shown in Fig.2) respectively. The hooks 352, 354 of the handle piece 35 at the other side also have the same way of engagement to the openings 256, 456 (referring to Fig.1) respectively.
[0014] The container folded from sheet provided in the invention utilizes a plurality of side planes connected in a row to the bottom plane. At least two engagement pieces are extended from sides of at least two non-adjacent side planes for coupling to each other with their engaging portions at both ends when the plurality of side planes are folded toward the same side of the bottom plane, so as to maintain the bottom plane and the side planes in shape of the container. Handle pieces extended from the other side planes have hooks cut and folded therefrom to further couple to openings of corresponding engaging portions so that the two engaging portions coupling with each other may further be tightly clipped from outside the container toward the side plane and a convenient container with specific containing room may be provided therefrom.
1. A container (100) folded from sheet (1), comprising:
a bottom plane (10);
a plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50), each of the plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) connected to the bottom plane (10) and having a connection portion (22, 24, 32, 34, 42, 44, 52, 54) respectively at both sides adjacent to two side planes (20, 30, 40, 50), each two adjacent side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) connected to each other via two adjacent connection portions (22, 24, 32, 34, 42, 44, 52, 54); and
characterized by:two engagement pieces (25, 45), respectively extended from an opposite side (202, 402) of two non-adjacent side planes (20, 40), the opposite side (202, 302, 402, 502) being opposite to a side through which the side plane (20, 30, 40, 50) is connected to the bottom plane (10), each of the two engagement pieces (25, 45) having engaging portions (251, 252, 451, 452) at both ends;
wherein the plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) is foldable toward a same side of the bottom plane (10) with respect to the bottom plane (10) to form the container (100);
wherein the engaging portion (251) at one end of one engagement piece (25) is coupled to the engaging portion (451) at one end of the other engagement piece (45), and the engaging portion (252) at the other end of one engagement piece (25) is coupled to the engaging portion (452) at the other end of the other engagement piece (45), so that the bottom plane (10) and the plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) are maintained in shape to form the container (100).
2. The container (100) of claim 1, characterized in that each engagement piece (25, 45) comprises an engaging body (250, 450) extended from
the opposite side (202, 402) of the side plane (20, 40), and the two engaging portions
(251, 252, 451, 452) are respectively extended from both ends of the engaging body
(250, 450).
3. The container (100) of any of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the engaging portions (251, 252) at both ends of one of the engagement pieces (25)
respectively have an L-shape slit (253, 254) cut opened along a first direction (L1)
and a second direction (L2), the engaging portions (451, 452) at both ends of the
other one of the engagement pieces (45) respectively have an L-shape slit (453, 454)
cut opened along the first direction (L1) and the second direction (L2); wherein the
L-shape slit (253) cut opened along the first direction (L1) on the engaging portion
(251) of one of the engaging pieces (25) is coupled to the L-shape slit (453) cut
opened along the first direction (L1) on the engaging portion (451) of the other one
of the engaging pieces (45), and the L-shape slit (254) cut opened along the second
direction (L2) on the engaging portion (252) of one of the engaging pieces (25) is
coupled to the L-shape slit (454) cut opened along the second direction (L2) on the
engaging portion (452) of the other one of the engaging pieces (45).
4. The container (100) of any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the adjacent connection portions (22, 24, 32, 34, 42, 44, 52, 54) of any two adjacent
side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) overlap and protrude outward the container (100), a plurality
of overlapping portions (28, 48) formed outside the container (100) at intersection
of every two adjacent side planes (20, 30, 40, 50), every two neighboring overlapping
portions (28, 48) clamped between two engaging portions (251, 252, 451, 452) coupling
to each other and one side plane.
5. The container (100) of any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plurality of side planes (20, 30, 40, 50) comprises a first side plane (20),
a second side plane (30), a third side plane (40), and a fourth side plane (50) sequentially
connected with one another, wherein the first side plane (20) and the third side plane
(40) are positioned opposite to each other, the second side plane (30) and the fourth
side plane (50) are positioned opposite to each other, and the two engaging pieces
(25, 45) are respectively extended from the opposite side (202) of the first side
plane (20) and opposite side (402) of the third side plane (40).
6. The container (100) of claim 5, further characterized by two handle pieces (35, 55) connected to the opposite side (302) of the second side
plane (30) and the opposite side (502) of the fourth side plane (50) respectively.
7. The container (100) of claim 6, characterized in that each of the two handle pieces (35, 55) comprises two hooks (352, 354, 552, 554) and
each of the engaging portions (251, 252, 451, 452) at both ends of the two engaging
pieces comprises an opening (255, 256, 455, 456); wherein when the engaging portion
(251, 252) of one engagement piece (25) is coupled to the engaging portion (451, 452)
of the other engagement piece (45), the two hooks (352, 354, 552, 554) of one of the
handle pieces (35, 55) engage the openings (255, 256, 455, 456) of the two engaging
portions (251, 252, 451, 452) respectively.
8. The container (100) of claim 7, characterized in that the two hooks (352, 354, 552, 554) of each of the two handle pieces (35, 55) are
formed by bending cut-off parts of the handle piece (35, 55).
9. The container (100) of any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the container (100) is a paper container (100).