Hinged lid box

Abstract

The invention relates to a hinged-lid box (48) comprising: a lower part (49) having a bottom wall (2) with a polygonal base; side walls (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) which are inclined outwardly and are connected to the lateral edges of the bottom wall via lower fold lines; corner joints (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) between adjacent side walls in the form of two triangular tabs each, each of which triangular tabs is connected to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent side walls via an outer fold line, wherein the triangular tabs are folded around a central fold line so as to abut one another and so as to abut one of the two adjacent side walls and are adhesively bonded to the latter; dust flaps (41, 42, 45) which are connected to upwardly bent upper edges of side walls via bent upper fold lines; at least one side wall of which the upper edge is a free edge and which is arranged between two adjacent side walls of which the upper edges are connected to dust flaps; and a hinged lid (28) having a polygonal top wall which is connected to a side wall via an upper fold line (27), and having at least one insertion flap (34, 35) which is connected to the top wall via a lateral fold line.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a hinged lid box for transporting salad, vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, rice, pasta or other side dishes.

[0002] Disposable containers are needed for salads, vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, rice, pasta, or other side dishes in delivery services, takeout restaurants, and fast-food chains. Plastic trays (e.g., PE, PP, PET, PS) are commonly used; these must be disposed of with regular household waste after use. Compostable disposable trays or cups for salads or deli items made of polylactic acid (PLA) are also available. PLA containers are relatively expensive. Cardboard salad trays or cups are also common; these are similar to ice cream cups, with a surrounding side wall, an attached base, and a rolled rim. These are relatively complex to manufacture. Finally, so-called clamshell boxes (also called "burger boxes") are used for salads. These consist of two tray sections that are hinged together along a fold line and can be locked together at the front edge.Clamshell boxes are also relatively complex to manufacture. Furthermore, the boxes' capacity to hold small items is limited due to their division into two halves.

[0003] WO 96 / 38342 A1 describes a hinged-lid box comprising a base with a square bottom, outwardly sloping side walls connected to the lateral edges of the base by lower fold lines, and corner joints between adjacent side walls. The corner joints each take the form of two triangular flaps connected to each other by a central fold line, each of which is connected by an outer fold line to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent side walls. The triangular flaps are folded around the central fold line against each other and against one of the two adjacent side walls and glued to it. Dust flaps are connected to the upper edges of side walls by upper fold lines, with one side wall having a free-edged upper edge and positioned between two adjacent side walls whose upper edges are connected by dust flaps.A hinged lid with a square-shaped top panel is connected to the upper edge of a side panel via a fold line along one side edge, and a tuck-in flap is connected to a side edge of the top panel via a fold line. This allows the hinged lid to be folded over the opening between the upper edges of the side panels when the dust flaps are folded into place, and the tuck-in flap can be inserted between the free edge of the side panel and the dust flaps of the two adjacent side panels.

[0004] JP 2002104381 ​​A describes a hinged-lid box in which dust bottles are connected to vertical side walls via inclined, lenticular connecting flaps. The dust flaps are connected to the upper edges of the lenticular connecting flaps via an upwardly curved fold line, and the lenticular connecting flaps are connected to the upper edges of the side walls via downwardly curved fold lines.

[0005] Based on this, the invention aims to create a container for salad, vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, rice, pasta or other side dishes that is easy to fill and close, can be produced in large quantities with little effort and is more easily recyclable.

[0006] The problem is solved by a hinged-lid box with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the hinged-lid box are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The hinged lid box according to the invention comprises: a lower part with: ∘ a base wall with a polygonal base, ∘ outwardly inclined side walls connected to the lateral edges of the base wall via lower fold lines, ∘ corner connections between adjacent side walls in the form of two triangular flaps each, connected to each other via a central fold line and each of which is connected to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent side walls via an outer fold line, wherein the triangular flaps are folded around the central fold line against each other and against one of the two adjacent side walls and glued to it, ∘ dust flaps connected to the upper edges of side walls via upper fold lines, wherein ∘ the upper edge of at least one side wall is a free edge arranged between two adjacent side walls whose upper edges are connected by dust flaps, a hinged lid with ∘ a top wall with a polygonal base,which is connected at a lateral edge via an upper fold line to the upper edge of a side wall, and at least one insertion flap which is connected via a lateral fold line to a lateral edge of the cover wall, whereby, with dust flaps folded into the opening between the upper edges of the side walls, the hinged cover can be folded over the opening and inserted with the at least one insertion flap between the side wall with the free edge and the dust flaps of the two adjacent side walls.

[0008] To close the folding box, the dust flaps are first folded into the opening between the upper edges of the side panels. The curved upper edges of the side panels guide the hinged lid as the opening is closed, allowing the tuck-in flap to be more easily inserted into the gap between the two dust flaps of the adjacent side panels and the side panel in between. This makes closing the hinged-lid box by hand, and thus the packaging of the product for delivery to the customer, easier. The folding box can be securely closed by inserting the tuck-in flap between the dust flaps and the side panel in between, without the need for glue or any other securing measures. Furthermore, small product items can be held in place by the dust flaps folded into the opening until the hinged lid is closed. This also simplifies the packaging process.Compared to traditional clamshell boxes, this folding carton offers better space utilization because it can be filled to the top and the hinged lid can be folded onto the product. Another advantage is that, due to the curvature of the upper edges of the side walls, the hinged lid curves upwards in the center, allowing more product to be placed there than at the edges. This also improves filling and closing the carton and optimizes space utilization. In addition to the upward-curving hinged lid, the closed folding carton also features a slight inward curve at the side walls with dust flaps, created by the curved fold lines. This allows condensation to run off more easily from stacked or closely packed boxes, or be carried away by passing air.Before use, a large number of hinged-lid boxes can be nested inside each other to save space for transport and storage.

[0009] The number of corners of the base surfaces of the bottom wall and the top wall is preferably identical in order to completely cover the opening between the upper edges of the side walls. Since the side walls are inclined outwards, the base surface of the top wall is preferably larger than the base surface of the bottom wall in order to completely cover the opening.

[0010] If the base surfaces have six corners, for example, the folding box is called hexagonal.

[0011] According to the invention, the dust flaps are connected via upwardly curved upper fold lines to upwardly curved upper edges of side walls, wherein the side wall opposite the side wall to which the hinged lid is attached has such an upwardly curved upper edge which is connected to a dust flap via an upwardly curved upper fold line, and wherein the two side walls adjacent to this side wall opposite the side wall with the hinged hinged lid each have an upper edge designed as a free edge, and the cover wall is connected at the lateral edges which, when the hinged lid is closed, border the upper edges of these two side walls, by means of tuck-in tabs.

[0012] In one embodiment, the two side walls adjacent to the side wall connected to the hinged lid at its upper edge have upwardly curved upper edges that are connected to dust flaps via upwardly curved fold lines. This allows the hinged lid to be locked in the closed position by means of two tuck-in tabs. The slots into which the two tuck-in tabs are inserted are located on both sides of the side wall opposite the side wall to which the hinged lid is attached. This ensures that the hinged lid closes particularly tightly. A hexagonal folding box, for example, can be designed in this way.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the upper edges of the side walls that are not connected to a dust flap via an upper fold line are straight. In particular, the upper fold line connecting the hinged lid to a side wall is straight, thus facilitating the opening of the hinged lid. Furthermore, the edges of the side walls designed as free edges, to which the insertion tabs can be anchored, are straight, thus facilitating the closing of the hinged lid.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the lateral edges of the cover wall, which abut straight upper edges of side walls when the hinged lid is closed, are also straight. Furthermore, the lateral edges of the cover wall, which abut curved upper edges of side walls when the hinged lid is closed, are convexly curved like the side walls after the dust flaps have been folded into the opening.

[0015] In another design, the folded triangular flaps are each folded against the outer side of a side wall and glued to it. This creates an interior with smooth side walls, making product removal easier. Furthermore, attaching and gluing the triangular flaps to the outer sides of the side walls is advantageous for the automatic erection and gluing of the folding carton.

[0016] In another embodiment, two arrangements of folded triangular flaps are folded against the same side wall. This is also advantageous for the automatic erection and gluing of the folding box.

[0017] In another embodiment, two sets of folded triangular flaps are folded against side walls that are not connected to a dust flap via a curved fold line at their curved upper edge. Since the side walls lack a curved edge with an attached dust flap, they do not bend when unfolded but remain flat, thus simplifying the application and gluing of the triangular flaps. In yet another embodiment, the triangular flaps are folded against side walls that are connected to the hinged lid via an upper fold line and have a free-edged upper edge. The folded and glued triangular flaps provide additional stabilization to these side walls. This is advantageous for closing and holding the hinged lid in the closed position.

[0018] In another design, the folding box is formed from a single piece of foldable flat material. This is advantageous for production with minimal material usage.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of an exemplary embodiment. The drawings show: Fig. 1: A blank for manufacturing the folding box lying flat in a perspective view from above and from the side; Fig. 2: A folding box formed from the blank with the hinged lid open in a perspective view from above and from the side; Fig. 3: The folding box at the beginning of the closing of the hinged lid in a perspective view from the side; Fig. 4: The folding box shortly before the hinged lid is completely closed in a perspective view from the opposite side; Fig. 5: The closed folding box in a front view; Fig. 6: The closed folding box in a perspective view from above and from the side; Fig. 7: The closed folding box in a rear view; Fig. 8: The closed folding box in a top view.

[0020] The terms "bottom", "top" and derived terms such as "below" and "above" refer to the erected folding box, with the bottom wall being horizontally aligned and the side walls extending upwards from the bottom wall.

[0021] According to Fig. 1 The cutout 1 has a base wall 2 with a hexagonal base, with a side wall 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 being hinged to each lateral edge of the base wall 2 via a straight lower fold line 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The side walls 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are each trapezoidal, with their width increasing slightly from bottom to top.

[0022] The lateral edges of adjacent side walls 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are connected to each other via corner joints 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Each corner joint 15 to 20 consists of two triangular tabs 15.1, 15.2 to 20.1, 20.2, which are connected to each other via central fold lines 21.1 to 26.1 and to which each is connected via an outer fold line 21.2, 21.3 to 26.2, 26.3 to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent side walls 9 to 14.

[0023] The side wall 9 is connected via a straight upper fold line 27 to a hinged lid 28, which has a cover wall 29 also with a hexagonal base. Besides the lateral edge connected to the side wall 9 via the upper fold line 27, the cover wall 29 has two concave lateral edges 30, 31, each extending to a corner of the base. Adjacent to these, the cover wall 29 has two straight lateral edges on each side, extending to the next corner. A tuck-in flap 34, 35 is hinged to each of these lateral edges via a lateral fold line 32, 33. The two outer corners of each tuck-in flap 34, 35 are rounded.

[0024] Opposite the lateral edge, with which the cover wall 29 is hinged to the side wall 9 via the upper fold line 27, the cover wall 29 has a concave curved lateral edge 36, which extends between the two straight lateral edges with the insertion tabs 34, 35.

[0025] On both sides next to the side wall 9, which is connected to the hinged lid via the upper fold line 27, the two adjacent side walls 10, 14 have a convexly curved upper edge 37, 38, to which a dust flap 41, 42 is hinged via a convexly curved upper fold line 39, 40.

[0026] The side wall 12, which is arranged opposite the side wall 9, which is connected to the hinged lid 28 via an upper fold line 27, is also connected at the upper edge 43 via a convexly curved upper fold line 44 to a dust flap 45.

[0027] The two outer corners of each dust flap 41, 42, 45 are also rounded.

[0028] The side walls 11, 13, which are arranged between the side walls 10 and 12, 14, which are connected via curved fold lines 39, 40, 44 with dust flaps 41, 42, 45, each have an upper edge in the form of a straight free edge 46, 47.

[0029] According to Fig. 2 The folding box 48 is erected by folding and gluing the triangular flaps 15.1, 15.2 to 20.1, 20.2 of each corner joint 15 to 20 around the central fold lines 21.1 to 26.1 against each other and against the outside of a side wall 9, 11, 13, the upper edge of which is straight. This forms a cup- or bowl-shaped lower part 49. The upper edges of the side walls 9 to 14 define an opening 50 for filling and emptying the lower part of the folding box 48. In this state, a large number of identically formed folding boxes 48 can be nested inside one another.

[0030] For filling, a single folding box 48 can be taken from the stack. After filling it with salad or another small product, the three dust flaps 41, 42, 45 are folded over the opening 50 between the upper edges of the side walls 9 to 14, into an approximately horizontal orientation. This retains the product, even if it is filled to the upper edge of the bottom part 49. When the dust flaps 41, 42, 45 are folded over, the side walls 10, 12, 14, which are connected to them via upper fold lines 39, 40, 44, are slightly curved inwards.

[0031] The folding box 48 is then closed by folding down the hinged lid 28. This is done according to... Fig. 3 and 4The cover wall 29 is guided laterally along the curved upper edges 37, 38 of the side walls 10, 14, which are arranged on both sides of the side wall 9 to which the hinged cover 28 is attached. This aligns the insertion tabs 34, 35 with the gap between the dust flaps 41, 45 and 42, 45 and the side walls 11, 13 arranged between them, and allows them to be easily inserted into this gap.

[0032] According to the Fig. 5 bis 8 The hinged lid 28 of the closed folding box 48 is slightly curved upwards in the middle area, so that more product can be accommodated there.

[0033] At the remaining edges, the bottom of the cover wall 29 is covered by the dust flaps 41, 42, 45. The concave curved side edges 30, 31, 36 of the cover wall 29 are adapted to the curved upper edges of the adjacent side walls 10, 12, 14. This results in a tightly and securely closing hinged-lid box. Reference symbol list

[0034] 1 Cutout 2 Bottom wall 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Bottom fold line 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Side wall 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Corner joint 15.1, 15.2 to 20.1, 20.2 Triangular flap 21.1 to 26.1 Middle fold line 21.2, 21.3 to 26.2, 26.3 Outer fold line 27 Top fold line 28 Hinged lid 29 Top wall 30, 31 Concave side edge 32, 33 Side fold line 34, 35 Tuck-in flap 36 Concave side edge 37, 38 Top edge 39, 40 Convex top fold line 41, 42 Dust flap 43 Upper edge 44 Convex upper fold line 45 Dust flap 46, 47 Free edge 48 Folding box 49 Bottom part 50 Opening

Claims

1. Hinged-lid box comprising: • a lower part (49) with ∘ a bottom wall (2) with a polygonal base, ∘ outwardly inclined side walls (9 to 14) which are connected via lower folding lines (3 to 8) to the lateral edges of the bottom wall (2), ∘corner connections (15 to 20) between adjacent side walls (9 to 14) in the form of two triangular flaps (15.1, 15.2 to 20.1, 20.2) each, which are connected to one another via a central folding line (21.1 to 26.1) and of which each is connected via an outer folding line (21.2, 21.3 to 26.2, 26.3) to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent side walls (9 to 14), wherein the triangular flaps are folded against each other about the central folding line and against one of the two adjacent side walls and are glued to it, ∘ dust flaps (41, 42, 45) which are connected via upper folding lines (39, 40, 44) to upper edges (37, 38, 43) of side walls (10, 12, 14), wherein ∘ the upper edge of at least one side wall (11, 13) is a free edge (46, 47) which is arranged between two adjacent side walls (10, 12; 12, 14), the upper edges (37, 38, 43) of which are connected to dust flaps (41, 42, 45), and • a hinged lid (28) with ∘ a top wall (29) with a polygonal base, which is connected on a lateral edge via an upper folding line (27) to the upper edge of a side wall (9) and ∘ at least one insertion flap (34, 35) which is connected via a lateral folding line (32, 33) to a lateral edge of the top wall (29), whereby when the dust flaps (41, 42, 45) are folded into the opening (50) between the upper edges of the side walls (9 to 14), the hinged lid (28) can be folded over the opening (50) and can be inserted with the at least one insertion flap (34, 35) between the side wall (11, 13) with the free edge (46, 47) and the dust flaps (41, 42, 45) of the two adjacent side walls (10, 12; 12, 14), characterized in that ∘ the dust flaps (41, 42, 45) are connected via upwardly curved upper folding lines (39, 40, 44) to upwardly curved, upper edges (37, 38, 43) of side walls (10, 12, 14), wherein ∘ the side wall (12) which is opposite the side wall (9) to which the hinged lid (28) is articulated has such an upwardly curved upper edge (43) which is connected via an upwardly curved upper folding line (44) to a dust flap (45), and wherein ∘ the two side walls (11, 13) which are arranged adjacent to this side wall (12), which is opposite the side wall (9) with the articulated hinged lid (28), each have an upper edge designed as a free edge (46, 47) and ∘ the top wall (29) is connected to insertion flaps (34, 35) at the lateral edges which, when the hinged lid (28) is closed, adjoin the upper edges of these two side walls (11, 13).

2. Hinged-lid box according to Claim 1, wherein the number of corners of the bases of the bottom wall (2) and the top wall (29) correspond.

3. Hinged-lid box according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the base of the top wall (29) is larger than the base of the bottom wall (2).

4. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the two side walls (10, 14) which are adjacent to the side wall (9) which is connected at the upper edge to the hinged lid (28) have upwardly curved upper edges (37,38) which are connected via upwardly curved folding lines (39, 40) to dust flaps (41, 42).

5. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper edges of the side walls (11,13) which are not connected via an upper folding line to a dust flap are straight.

6. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the lateral edges of the top wall (29) which adjoin straight upper edges of side walls (11, 13) when the hinged lid (28) is closed are straight.

7. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the lateral edges of the top wall (29) which adjoin curved upper edges of side walls (10, 12, 14) when the hinged lid (28) is closed are curved convexly in the same way as these side walls after the dust flaps (41, 42, 45) have been folded into the opening (50).

8. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the folded triangular flaps (15.1, 15.2 to 20.1, 20.2) are each folded against the outside of a side wall (9, 11, 13) and glued to it.

9. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein in each case two arrangements of folded triangular flaps (15.1, 15.2, 20.1, 20.2; 16.1, 16.2, 17.1, 17.2; 18.1, 18.2, 19.1, 19.2) are folded against the same side wall (9, 11, 13).

10. Hinged-lid box according to one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein in each case two arrangements of folded triangular flaps (15.1, 15.2, 20.1, 20.2; 16.1, 16.2, 17.1, 17.2; 18.1, 18.2, 19.1, 19.2) are folded against the side wall (9) which is connected via a folding line (27) to the hinged lid (28), or against at least one side wall (11, 13) which is not connected at the upper edge via a folding line to a dust flap.

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