Stackable open topped box

Abstract

A stackable open topped box is provided in which the box is made of a folded blank of fluted sheet material. At least a part of a ledge panel is attached to an upper edge of a relevant wall so as to project over a pillar formation in a corner of the box. The pillar formation comprises first, second, third and optionally fourth flaps each attached to the other by a sulcation with the first pillar flap being attached to the ledge panel. An attachment flap may also be provided at each end of the wall having the flutes extending up its height. The arrangement is such that the flutes of all of the first, second, third and any fourth pillar flaps as well as any attachment flap extend in the direction of the height of the box.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to a stackable open topped box made of folded fluted sheet material selected from corrugated cardboard and extruded fluted plastic sheet material. The invention also relates to a blank cut and sulcated sheet of fluted material from which such a box may be erected. More particularly, the invention relates to a stackable open topped box that has pillar formations in the corners whereby at least a substantial portion of the weight of boxes stacked on top of any one box is carried.[0002]In this specification the words sulcated, sulcation or sulcate each relates to a fold line or the formation of a fold line that is typically a groove; one or more spaced cuts through the sheet material; a combination of one or more spaced cuts and an in-line groove; or any other line of weakening along which the sheet material will fold in preference to other areas of the sheet of material that are not sulcated. A sulcation may take many different forms ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a new design for open-topped boxes used for vertical stacking. The design includes additional pillar flaps that can be attached to the sides of the box, as well as fluted sheet material along the corners of the box that provides enhanced rigidity. These features improve the stability and stacking ability of the boxes, and allow for better ventilation and inspection.

Problems solved by technology

The cost of a box is therefore very much dependent on the cut and fold configuration of the box, the cost of the sheet material used, and the overall size of the outer periphery of the blank before it is folded.

This often leads to extra material being used in order to provide flaps that can be manually locked in position.

Blanks adapted to be manually folded are typically more expensive.

Obviously it is uneconomical from a transport and storage point of view to transport or store any appreciable numbers of erected boxes so that it is usual to transport and store the blanks pending erection for use.

It is, accordingly, important that the tabs are properly aligned with the cut-outs in the stacked condition and it is not always easy to align such boxes in the event that the upper edges of the end walls are simply cut or folded over edges that are not much more than the thickness of the fluted sheet material being used.

The problem with this arrangement is that the flutes of all of the side wall attachment flap, the second end wall attachment flap (both of which are attached to the ledge), the first end wall attachment flap and pillar forming diagonal flap that are attached to the side wall have their flutes extending horizontally, that is in the weaker of the two directions, at the pillar.

This is a natural consequence of the design of the blank of the box and naturally leads to a heavier grade of corrugated cardboard being needed than would otherwise be the case.

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