Hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain

Abstract

2020227048 02

Description

Technical Field 5 The present invention relates to a hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain and blanks therefor. Background 10 Cardboard boxes have been used in cold supply chains to package frozen or fresh meat. In one example, the meat is first packaged in a plastic bag before it is secured in the box. The bag prevents the meat from sticking to the box and also prevents moisture from the meat deteriorating the box. The plastic bag proved to be troublesome in some circumstances 15 because the plastic became entrapped in the meat during freezing and was difficult to remove. Further, there was a safety risk for circumstances where plastic remained in the meat. As an alternative to using a plastic bag to store the meat, a release coating has been applied to the inside of the cold supply chain box. The meat is placed directly on the release 20 coating. The non-stick surface allows the meat to be safely removed from the box. This type of box solves some of the problems associated with plastic bags. However, the box is not designed to store liquids for an extended period of time without freezing. In such circumstances, liquid uptake into the cardboard causes delamination and stacking strength deteriorates. 25 It is generally desirable to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the above described difficulties, or to at least provide a useful alternative. 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 2 - Summary In accordance with the invention, there is provided a hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain, including: 5          (a) a solid fibreboard liner or insert for receiving items and storing them therein; and (b) a corrugated cardboard outer carton, wherein the liner is substantially waterproof and the outer carton houses therein the liner. 10 Preferably, the solid fibreboard liner includes a base for receiving said items and a lid to secure the items in the base. The lid and base are formed from AQUA-BOARDTM. The corrugated cardboard outer carton is regular slotted carton. 15 Preferably, the base includes: (a) four side panels extending upwardly from respective sides of a base panel; and (b) gussets formed between neighbouring sections of the side panels, wherein the gussets fold back on respective side panels. 20 The gussets fold back and lock against respective side panels with locking keys. The locking keys are dovetail flaps cut into the side wall panels and the gussets. The box is advantageously collapsible after usage. The box is preferably recyclable. 25 In accordance with the invention, there is also provided a kit of blanks for a hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain, including: (a) a blank solid fibreboard liner for receiving items and storing them within; 30               and (b) a blank corrugated cardboard outer carton, 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 3 - wherein the blank liner is substantially waterproof and the outer carton is erectable to house therein the assembled liner. Preferably, the blank solid fibreboard liner includes a base blank for receiving said items 5 when assembled and a lid to secure the items in the assembled base. The blank lid and blank base are formed from AQUA-BOARDTM. The blank corrugated fibreboard outer carton is made from regular slotted carton. Preferably, the blank base includes: 10         (a) four side panels arrangeable to extending upwardly from respective sides of a base panel; and (b) gussets formed between neighbouring sections of the side panels, wherein the gussets are configured to fold back on respective side panels. 15 The gussets are configured to fold back and lock against respective side panels with locking keys. The locking keys are dovetail notches cut into the side wall panels and the gussets. The box formed from the blanks is advantageously collapsible after usage. The box is also 20 preferably recyclable. Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention are hereafter described, by way of non-limiting 25 example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of a hand erected box; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the box shown in Figure 1 in another condition of use; 30 Figure 3 is a side perspective view of an outer carton of the box shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank of the outer carton shown in Figure 3; 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 4 - Figure 5 is a side perspective view of a liner of the box shown in Figure 1; Figure 6a is a side perspective view of a base of the liner shown in Figure 5; Figure 6b is a side view of the base shown in Figure 6a; Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank of the base shown in Figure 6a; 5 Figure 8a is a side perspective view of a lid of the liner shown in Figure 5; Figure 8b is a side view of the lid shown in Figure 8a; Figure 8c is an end view of the lid shown in Figure 8a; and Figure 9 is a plan view of a blank of the lid shown in Figure 8a. 10 Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments The hand erected composite box 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is used in a cold supply chain. For example, the box is used to store frozen or fresh meat. The box 10 includes: 15          (a) a solid fibreboard liner 12 for receiving the items and storing them therein; and (b) a corrugated cardboard outer carton 14. The liner 12 is substantially waterproof and the outer carton 14 houses therein the liner 12. 20 As shown in Figure 3, the corrugated cardboard outer carton 14 is regular slotted carton. The outer carton 14 is of any suitable size, shape and configuration to comfortably house the liner 12. 25 The outer carton 14 is formed from the blank 16 shown in Figure 4 and includes a series of four side panels 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, each having top flaps 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d and bottom flaps 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d attached thereto. The outer carton 14 also includes a glue flap 24 for coupling the first panel 18a to the fourth 18d in the series when the carton 14 is assembled. 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 5 - As shown in Figure 5, the solid fibreboard liner 12 includes a lid 26 fitted over a base 27. The liner 12 is a generally rectangular container. The liner 12 can alternatively be any suitable shape to secure goods therein. The liner 12 is preferably substantially waterproof. In one example, the liner 12 is formed from AQUA-BOARDTM. 5 The AQUA-BOARDTM liner 12 does not have suitable stacking strength to be suitable for packaging, per se. That is, it is not stiff enough to support a top load. The carton 14 provides top load support. 10 The base 27 shown in Figures 6a and 6b is made from the blank base liner 28 shown in Figure 7. The blank base 28 includes: (a) four side panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d arranged to extend upwardly from a respective sides of a base panel 32; and 15          (b) gussets 34 formed between neighbouring sections of the side panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. The gussets 34 are configured to fold back on respective side panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. As shown in Figure 5, the lid 26 fits over the gussets and locks them against respective 20 side panels. In one embodiment, the gussets 34 are arrangeable to fold back and lock against respective side panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d with locking keys 38. The locking keys 38 are preferably dovetail flaps 38 cut into the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and the gussets 34. The 25 flaps 38 are each adapted to rotate with respect to the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and the gussets 34. In doing so, the flaps 38 rotate away from a position that is coplanar with the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and the gussets 34, leaving open slots 40. As such, the gussets 34 can be locked to the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d by rotating all flaps 38 outwardly so that the flaps 38 of the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d extend 30 through the slots 40 of the neighbouring gussets 34. The dovetail shape of the flaps 38 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 6 - locks against the dovetail shape of the slots 40. Alternatively, the flaps 28 could be all rotated the other direction, or any suitable combination of directions. The liner 12 goes flat when dissembled which facilitates tipping the contents out so that 5 nothing is trapped in the gussets 34. The lid 26 shown in Figure 8a to 8c is made from the blank lid 42 shown in Figure 9. The blank lid 42 includes four side panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d arranged to extend downwardly from a respective sides of a top panel 46 10 The lid 36 is shaped to fit neatly over the top of the base 27. Advantageously, the side panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d are glued to the side wall panels 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d after the payload is inserted into the base 27. 15 The box 10 can be made up from flat blanks 16, 28, 42 as required. The box 10 is advantageously recyclable. Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires 20 otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous variations and modifications will 25 become apparent. All such variations and modifications which become apparent to persons skilled in the art, should be considered to fall within the spirit and scope that the invention broadly appearing before described. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), 30 or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived 2020227048   07 Sep 2026 - 7 - from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

2020227048   07 Sep 2026- 8 -Claims Defining the Invention1. A hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain, including:(a) a solid fibreboard liner for receiving items and storing them therein; and5          (b) a corrugated cardboard outer carton,wherein the outer carton houses therein the liner, wherein the solid fibreboard liner includes a base for receiving said items and a lid to secure the items in the base, wherein the base and the lid are substantially waterproof,wherein the base includes:10         (a) four side panels extending upwardly from respective sides of a base panel;and(b) gussets formed between neighbouring sections of the side panels,wherein the gussets fold back on respective side panels,wherein the liner is adapted to be flattened when the box is dissembled to facilitate 15 tipping the contents out so that nothing is trapped in the gussets, andwherein the lid fits over the gussets and locks them against respective side panels.

2. The box claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid and base are formed from AQUA-BOARDTMliner.

203. The box claimed in any one of claim 1 to 2, wherein the corrugated cardboard outer carton is a regular slotted carton.

4. The box claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gussets fold back and 25          lock against respective side panels with locking keys.

5. The box claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking keys are dovetail flaps cut into the side wall panels and the gussets.30 6. A kit of blanks for a hand erected composite box for a cold supply chain, including:2020227048   07 Sep 2026- 9 -(a) a blank solid fibreboard liner for receiving items and storing them within; and(b) a blank corrugated cardboard outer carton,wherein the blank outer carton is erectable to house therein the assembled liner,5          wherein the blank solid fibreboard liner includes a base blank for receiving saiditems when assembled and a lid to secure the items in the assembled base, wherein the blank liner is substantially waterproof,wherein the blank base includes:(a) four side panels arrangeable to extending upwardly from respective sides of 10                 a base panel; and(b) gussets formed between neighbouring sections of the side panels,wherein the gussets are configured to fold back on respective side panels,wherein the liner is adapted to be flattened when the box is dissembled to facilitate tipping the contents out so that nothing is trapped in the gussets, and15          wherein the lid fits over the gussets and locks them against respective side panels.

7. The kit claimed in claim 6, wherein the blank lid and blank base are formed fromAQUA-BOARDTMliner.20 8. The kit claimed in any one of claims 6 to 7, wherein the blank corrugated cardboard outer carton is made from regular slotted carton.

9. The kit claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the gussets are configured to fold back and lock against respective side panels with locking keys.2510. The kit claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking keys are dovetail notches cut into the side wall panels and the gussets.

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