QUICK-RELEASE LID

Abstract

The lid is erected from a blank, wherein two first parallel crease lines (14), and two second crease lines (16) orthogonal to the first parallel crease lines (14) delimit a first row of a first rear half-panel (18), a first auxiliary panel (20), and a second rear half-panel (22), a second row of a first side panel (24), a top panel (26) and a second side panel (28), and a third row of a first front half-panel (30), a second auxiliary panel (32), and a second front half-panel (34). The first and second rear half-panels (18, 22), and the first and second front half-panels (30, 3) have a slot (36) adjacent to the respective second crease line (16). The first and second side panels (24,28) have a couple of distanced slots (38) adjacent to the respective second crease line (16). Each first crease line (14) is interrupted by two end slots (40) and a median slot (42) in the length between the first auxiliary panel (20) and the top panel (26) and between the second auxiliary panel (32) and the top panel (26), respectively. A distal side of each of the first and second auxiliary panels (20, 32) has an indenture (44) from which two inclined crease or half-cut lines (46) directed to a respective proximal corner of the auxiliary panel (20, 32) depart. A couple of cut lines (48) depart from each inclined line (46) delimiting an arm having a distal portion (50) protruding into the slot (36).

Description

[0001] Rapid lid

[0002] The present invention relates to a lid for a container, a container comprising such a lid and a blank to be folded in order to achieve such a lid.

[0003] One object of the present invention is providing a lid that can be rapidly erected from a blank and, once erected, is fairly stable.

[0004] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a monolithic cardboard or corrugated board blank, wherein two first parallel crease lines, and two second crease lines parallel to each other and orthogonal to said first parallel crease lines, delimit a first row of a first rear half-panel, a first auxiliary panel, and a second rear half-panel, a second row of a first side panel, a top panel and a second side panel, and a third row of a first front half-panel, a second auxiliary panel, and a second front half-panel, wherein each of said first rear half-panel, second rear half-panel, first front half panel, and second front half-panel have a slot adjacent to the respective second crease line, wherein each of said first side panel and second side panel have a couple of distanced slots adjacent to the respective second crease line, wherein each first crease line is interrupted by two end slots and a median slot in the length between the first auxiliary panel and the top panel and between the second auxiliary panel and the top panel, respectively, wherein a distal side of each of the first and second auxiliary panels has an indenture from which two inclined crease or half-cut lines directed to a respective proximal comer of the auxiliary panel depart, and wherein a couple of cut lines depart from each inclined crease or half-cut line delimiting an arm having a distal portion protruding into the slot of the adjacent half-panel.

[0005] A further subject-matter of the present invention is constituted by a lid obtainable from the above disclosed blank by contemporaneously:

[0006] - folding a center portion delimited by said inclined crease or half-cut lines and cut lines of the first and second auxiliary panels at 180° about the respective first crease line,

[0007] - folding said first and second side panels at 90° about the respective second crease line, and - folding said first rear half-panel, second rear half-panel, first front half-panel, and second front half-panel at 90° about the respective first crease line, so as the center portion of each first and second auxiliary panel is on an inner surface of the top panel, and comer portions of each first and second auxiliary panel are on said center portion, each distal end of said arms penetrates into a respective slot of the first and second side panels which are orthogonal to the top panel, said first and second rear half-panels are orthogonal to the top panel, coplanar and contiguous to form a rear wall, and said first and second front half-panels are orthogonal to the top panel, coplanar and contiguous to form a front wall.

[0008] A further subject-matter of the present invention is constituted by a container comprising the above-disclosed lid and a base, which has a bottom wall and a side wall and into which the lid is inserted, once this latter is overturned and an internal cavity thereof faces downwards.

[0009] The lid of the present invention can thus be rapidly erected from a monolithic blank, allowing a reduction of the cardboard used and completely dispensing with any glue or adhesive, with consequent cost savings.

[0010] The lid of the present invention, even if kept assembled solely through mechanical locking means, is suitably rigid and satisfies the same strength requirements as conventional lids.

[0011] Further advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank according to the invention, and figures 2 to 6 are perspective view illustrating successive steps of erection into a lid of the blank of figure 1.

[0012] Figure 1 illustrates a monolithic cardboard or corrugated board rectangular blank, which is symmetric in respect of two orthogonal axes 10, 12. Two first crease lines 14 parallel to axis 10 and two second crease lines 16, parallel to each other and to axis 12 and orthogonal to the first crease lines 14, delimit a first row of a first rear half-panel 18, a first auxiliary panel 20, and a second rear half-panel 22, a second row of a first side panel 24, a top panel 26 and a second side panel 28, and a third row of a first front half-panel 30, a second auxiliary panel 32, and a second front half-panel 34.

[0013] Each of the first rear half-panel 18, second rear half-panel 22, first front half-panel 30, and second front half-panel 34 have a slot 36 adjacent to the respective second crease line 16.

[0014] Each of the first side panel 24 and second side panel 28 have a couple of distanced slots 38 adjacent to the respective second crease line 16.

[0015] Each first crease line 14 is interrupted by two end slots 40 and a median slot 42 in the length between the first auxiliary panel 20 and the top panel 26, and between the second auxiliary panel 32 and the top panel 26, respectively.

[0016] A distal side of each of the first and second auxiliary panels 20, 32 has an indenture 44 from which two inclined crease or half-cut lines 46 directed to a respective proximal comer of the auxiliary panel 20, 32 depart. A couple of cut lines 48 parallel to each other and to the first crease lines 14 depart from each inclined crease or half-cut line 46 delimiting an arm having a distal portion 50 protruding into the slot 36 of the respective adjacent half-panel 18, 22, 30, 34.

[0017] The top panel 26 has two through-holes 52 aligned along the axis 12.

[0018] Figures 2 to 6 illustrate successive steps of erection into a lid of the previously disclosed blank.

[0019] In particular, such erection process provides for contemporaneously folding: a center portion 54 delimited by the inclined crease or half-cut lines 46 and cut lines 48 of the first and second auxiliary panels 20, 32 at 180° about the respective first crease line 14, the first and second side panels 24, 28 at 90° about the respective second crease line 16, and the first rear half panel 18, second rear half-panel 22, first front half-panel 30, and second front half-panel 34 at 90° about the respective first crease line 14.

[0020] As a consequence of this multiple folding, the center portion 54 of each first and second auxiliary panel 20, 32, which is roughly star-shaped, is placed on an inner surface of the top panel 26, and comer portions 56 of each first and second auxiliary panel 20, 32 are placed on the center portion 54.

[0021] Furthermore, each distal end 50 of the arms of the center portion 54 of the auxiliary panels 20, 32 penetrates into a respective slot 38 of the first and second side panels 24, 28 which are orthogonal to the top panel 26, the first and second rear half-panels 18, 22 are orthogonal to the top panel 26, coplanar and contiguous to form a rear wall, and the first and second front half-panels 30, 34 are orthogonal to the top panel 26, coplanar and contiguous to form a front wall parallel to the rear wall.

[0022] Also, end portions 58 adjacent to both sides of the slot 36 of each of the first rear half-panel 18, second rear half-panel 22, first front half-panel 30, and second front half-panel 34 are placed in correspondence of the adjacent end slot 40 and the median slot 42 interrupting the respective first crease line 14, and increase the stability of the rear and front walls.

[0023] In sum, it is obtained a parallelepiped lid 60 which is quite stable, due inter alia to the insertion of the distal end 50 of the arms of the center portion 54 of the auxiliary panels 20, 32 into the slots 38 of the first and second side panels 24, 28, and delimits an internal cavity 62.

[0024] The lid 60 is then overturned, so as the internal cavity 62 faces downwards, and finally inserted into a base 64 having a bottom wall and a side wall, so as it is formed a closed container, which can be easily opened by a user who inserts his fingers into the trough-holes 52 of the top panel 26 and lifts the lid 60.

[0025] Naturally, the principles of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and embodiments may be widely varied with respect to those described purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the claimed scope. E.g., the blank might be not symmetric in respect of the axis 10 and the rear wall might be shorter or even be completely eliminated, in particular if the lid has is used in combination with a base whose side wall is high in its rear portion.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A monolithic cardboard or corrugated board blank, wherein two first parallel crease lines (14), and two second crease lines (16) parallel to each other and orthogonal to said first parallel crease lines (14), delimit a first row of a first rear half-panel (18), a first auxiliary panel (20), and a second rear half-panel (22), a second row of a first side panel (24), a top panel (26) and a second side panel (28), and a third row of a first front half-panel (30), a second auxiliary panel (32), and a second front half-panel (34), wherein each of said first rear half-panel (18), second rear half-panel (22), first front half-panel (30), and second front half-panel (34) have a slot (36) adjacent to the respective second crease line (16), wherein each of said first side panel (24) and second side panel (28) have a couple of distanced slots (38) adjacent to the respective second crease line (16), wherein each first crease line (14) is interrupted by two end slots (40) and a median slot (42) in the length between the first auxiliary panel (20) and the top panel (26) and between the second auxiliary panel (32) and the top panel (26), respectively, wherein a distal side of each of the first and second auxiliary panels (20, 32) has an indenture (44) from which two inclined crease or half-cut lines (46) directed to a respective proximal comer of the auxiliary panel (20, 32) depart, and wherein a couple of cut lines (48) depart from each inclined crease or half-cut line (46) delimiting an arm having a distal portion (50) protruding into the slot (36) of the adjacent half-panel (18, 22, 30, 34).

2. The blank according to claim 1, which is symmetric in respect of two orthogonal axes (10, 12) which are parallel to the first (14) and second (16) crease lines, respectively.

3. The blank according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said top panel (26) has at least one through-hole (52).

4. The blank according to claim 3, wherein said top panel (26) has two through-holes(52).

5. A lid (60) obtainable from a blank according to any one of the preceding claims, by contemporaneously:- folding a center portion (54) delimited by said inclined crease of half-cut lines (46) and cut lines (48) of the first and second auxiliary panels (20, 32) at 180° about the respective first crease line (14),- folding said first and second side panels (24, 28) at 90° about the respective second crease line (16), and- folding said first rear half-panel (18), second rear half-panel (22), first front half-panel (30), and second front half-panel (34) at 90° about the respective first crease line (14), so as the center portion (54) of each first and second auxiliary panel (20, 32) is on an inner surface of the top panel (26), and comer portions (56) of each first and second auxiliary panel (20, 32) are on said center portion (54), each distal end (50) of said arms penetrates into a respective slot (38) of the first and second side panels (24, 28) which are orthogonal to the top panel (26), said first and second rear half-panels (18, 22) are orthogonal to the top panel (26), coplanar and contiguous to form a rear wall, and said first and second front half-panels (30, 34) are orthogonal to the top panel (26), coplanar and contiguous to form a front wall.

6. The lid (60) according to claim 5, wherein end portions (58) adjacent to the slot (36) of each of said first rear half-panel (18), second rear half-panel (22), first front half-panel (30), and second front half-panel (34) are placed in correspondence of the adjacent end slot (40) and median slot (42), respectively, interrupting the respective first crease line (14).

7. The lid (60) according to claim 6 or 7, which is overturned, so as it has an internal cavity (62) facing downwards.

8. A container comprising a lid (60) according to any one of claims 5 to 7 and a base (64) formed by a bottom wall and a side wall, into which said lid (60) is inserted.