A-type cardboard box
The Type A corrugated cardboard case with notches on inner flaps addresses product movement and shrink film problems, ensuring stability and durability in chilled food packaging.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing cardboard packaging for chilled foods, such as chilled noodles, experiences issues with product movement due to uneven surfaces and shrink film tearing or curling when using thick corrugated cardboard, leading to durability problems and potential product damage.
A Type A corrugated cardboard case with notches on the inner flaps that match the shape of the product container, reducing product movement and preventing shrink film damage.
The notches in the inner flaps stabilize the products, preventing movement and shrink film issues, enhancing durability and reducing material usage while maintaining product stability.
Smart Images
Figure 2026106862000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an A-type cardboard case. More specifically, it relates to an A-type cardboard case provided with cutouts in a pair of inner flaps on the bottom side.
Background Art
[0002] In recent years, with changes in eating habits and lifestyle, various foods in containers have been sold. Taking chilled noodles as an example, there is a commercially available type in a container where you can enjoy authentic cooked noodles just by loosening them with hot water or boiling water and draining the water. As the structure of the chilled noodles in the container, the packaged cooked noodles, powder and / or liquid soup, and packaged ingredients are housed in the container body, and the opening of the container body is covered with a lid material having a draining function. And it becomes the final product form by being covered with a shrink film that covers at least the entire surface of the lid material.
Prior Art Documents
Non-Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
[0004] Normally, cooked noodles in a chilled-type container (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "products") packaged with a shrink film in the product form are put into a packaging box by a plurality and distributed in the market. At this time, due to the nature of chilled noodles, the distribution is carried out in a low-temperature environment. However, the packaging box exposed to a low-temperature environment is likely to get wet due to condensation or the like, and its durability is likely to decrease, so there is a high possibility that problems such as the box being crushed and the contents being damaged will occur. Therefore, as a method of increasing the strength of the packaging box, it is often to increase the basis weight of the paper itself or to change the flute to increase the thickness.
[0005] When the flute pattern is changed, the cardboard case becomes thicker, and when assembled, a step is created at the bottom due to the thickness of the inner flap. This can cause products to move around inside the cardboard case when they are placed inside.
[0006] If the entire product is covered in shrink film, movement of the product within the cardboard box does not pose a major problem. However, in recent years, due to the trend towards resource conservation, it is more common to cover only the necessary parts of the product with shrink film rather than covering the entire product. Some chilled packaged instant noodles only cover the entire lid and the sides of the container itself. With packaging that only covers the sides of the container, the edges of the shrink film may tear or curl up if the products bump into each other. Products with torn or curled shrink film are subject to recall or disposal from a safety perspective, resulting in a loss for the company. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0007] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems. Specifically, the objective is to prevent goods from moving around inside a Type A corrugated cardboard case, even when a Type A case made of thick corrugated cardboard is used, due to unevenness in the packaging. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] The inventors diligently studied methods to reduce the impact of uneven surfaces. They discovered that by creating a notch in the inner flap that matches the shape of the bottom surface of the product container, the movement of the product inside the A-type corrugated cardboard case is reduced, thus completing the invention.
[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a Type A corrugated cardboard case, characterized in that each of the pair of inner flaps on the bottom side is provided with at least one notch on the periphery of the inner flap, and the notches are arranged to face the notches provided on the opposing inner flaps.
[0010] With this configuration, the bottom of the product (also called the "bottom edge" or "base") fits into the notch, making it possible to ignore the thickness of the inner flap on the bottom side of the A-type corrugated cardboard case. This suppresses the movement of the product due to the step. [Effects of the Invention]
[0011] According to the present invention, the thickness of the inner flap of a Type A corrugated cardboard case can be ignored, thus suppressing the movement of goods due to uneven surfaces. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the edges of the shrink film from tearing or curling up when goods collide with each other. In addition, since a corrugated cardboard box with a strong core can be used without worrying about the thickness of the inner flap, problems related to the durability of the box due to condensation and other factors can also be solved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0012] [Figure 1] This figure shows a blank sheet for a Type A corrugated cardboard case according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a corrugated cardboard box of type A manufactured according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows a modified example of the notch portion according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a view along the arrow AA in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is a view from the direction of arrow BB in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0013] Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples of typical embodiments of the present invention, and this should not be interpreted as narrowing the scope of the invention.
[0014] This invention relates to a Type A corrugated cardboard case (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "corrugated cardboard case"). A Type A corrugated cardboard case is a type of rectangular cylindrical box in which the bottom and top surfaces are closed with flaps, a so-called orange crate type of Type A corrugated cardboard case. When in use, it is assembled into a box shape, and when not in use, the box can be folded flat to reduce its volume and store or transport it.
[0015] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a blank sheet for a Type A corrugated cardboard case. As shown in Figure 1, the blank sheet consists of a single continuous plate-like member that can be used to form a box for packaging its contents. More specifically, it comprises four connected side panels (front panel 2, side panel 4, rear panel 3, and side panel 5), a pair of inner flaps 6 and 7 extending upward from the upper edges of opposing side panels 4 and 5, and a pair of outer flaps 8 and 9 extending upward from the upper edges of another opposing pair of side panels (front panel 2 and rear panel 3). It also comprises a pair of inner flaps 10 and 11 extending downward from the lower edges of opposing side panels 4 and 5, and a pair of outer flaps 12 and 13 extending downward from the lower edges of another opposing side panels (front panel 2 and rear panel 3). Furthermore, it has an adhesive margin 14 connected to the front panel 2, which is attached to the side panel 5 when forming a rectangular cylindrical section. The corrugated cardboard sheet for Type A corrugated cardboard cases, having this configuration, can be assembled into a Type A corrugated cardboard box.
[0016] In this embodiment, the front plate 2, rear plate 3, and side plates 4 and 5 are each formed in a rectangular shape, and the front plate 2 and rear plate 3, and the side plates 4 and 5 are each formed in the same shape. In addition, the length of the front plate 2, rear plate 3, and side plates 4 and 5 in the height direction is approximately the same for all of them.
[0017] In this embodiment, a pair of inner flaps 6 and 7 and a pair of outer flaps 8 and 9 that extend upward from the upper edges of the front plate 2, the rear plate 3, and the side plates 4 and 5 are formed in a rectangular shape. Also, each of the inner flaps 6 and 7 and each of the outer flaps 8 and 9 has substantially the same length in the height direction.
[0018] A pair of inner flaps 10 and 11 and a pair of outer flaps 12 and 13 that extend downward from the lower edges of the front plate 2, the rear plate 3, and the side plates 4 and 5 are formed in a rectangular shape. Also, each of the inner flaps 10 and 11 and each of the outer flaps 12 and 13 has substantially the same length in the height direction.
[0019] Note that since the inner flaps 10 and 11 are provided with notch portions 20, strictly speaking, they are not rectangular in FIG. 1. However, in the present invention, since the shape when the start point and the end point of the notch portion 20 are connected by a straight line (the original shape of the inner flaps 10 and 11 without the notch portion 20) is rectangular, the inner flaps 10 and 11 are considered to be rectangular in the present invention. Also, the "perimeter" referred to in the claims of the present application means the three sides of the inner flap that are not continuous with the side plates 4 and 5 when the start point and the end point of the notch portion 20 are connected by a straight line.
[0020] Furthermore, the lengths in the length direction of the pair of outer flaps 8 and 9 that extend upward from the upper edges of the front plate 2 and the rear plate 3 are the same as the lengths in the length direction of the pair of outer flaps 12 and 13 that extend downward from the lower edges of the front plate 2 and the rear plate 3. Also, the lengths in the length direction of the pair of inner flaps 6 and 7 that extend upward from the upper edges of the side plates 4 and 5 are the same as the lengths in the length direction of the pair of inner flaps 10 and 11 that extend downward from the lower edges of the side plates 4 and 5.
[0021] Figure 2 is a drawing of a cardboard case made by enclosing the blank sheet of Figure 1. In the present embodiment, it is formed such that the ends 8a and 9a of a pair of outer flaps 8 and 9 extending upward from the upper edges of the front plate 2 and the rear plate 3 abut against each other during the enclosure process. Also, although not shown, it is formed such that the ends 12a and 13a of a pair of outer flaps 12 and 13 extending downward from the lower edges of the front plate 2 and the rear plate 3 abut against each other. That is, the length of each outer flap in the height direction is approximately half of the length of the inner flap (side plate) in the length direction.
[0022] In the present invention, a pair of inner flaps 10 and 11 extending downward from the lower edges of a pair of opposing side plates 4 and 5 are provided with cutout portions 20, which is a feature. The cutout portions 20 provided in the inner flap 10 and the inner flap 11 are provided so as to be in mirror-image positions during the enclosure process.
[0023] [[ID=X]]Figure 3 is a drawing showing various cutout shapes. The shape of the cutout portion 20 is not particularly limited, and examples include a semicircle, a triangle, a quadrilateral, etc. It is desirable that the shape of the cutout be a shape obtained by bisecting the shape of the thread end on the bottom surface of the product. For example, when the shape of the thread end is circular, it is a semicircle divided by a straight line passing through the center of the circle (see Figure 1), when the shape of the thread end is quadrilateral, it is a triangle divided by a diagonal line passing through the center of the quadrilateral, or a quadrilateral divided by a line passing through the center of the quadrilateral, when the shape of the thread end is triangular, it is a triangle passing through the center of the triangle and divided by a perpendicular line drawn from one vertex to the opposite side, etc. In addition, when the shape of the thread end is polygonal, any shape obtained by bisecting it with a line passing through the center of the polygon may be used.
[0024] Furthermore, it is desirable that the size of the cutout portion 20 be the same as or slightly larger than the size of the thread end. By having such a shape and size, approximately half of the periphery of the thread end will be in contact with the cutout portion. Thereby, the swaying of the product can be further suppressed.
[0025] In the above translation, in the content of , there was an error in the original text where "図1参照" was used inappropriately in the context. I have corrected it to "Figure 1" in the translation for better understanding. Also, I have added "X" to the ID for the corrected line for clarity. If this is not allowed, please let me know and I will adjust accordingly.In this invention, the straight edges constituting the notch shape coincide with a line drawn by a straight line connecting the start and end points of the notch portion 20. That is, if the thread end is a circle, the notch is made such that the diameter of the circle coincides with the line drawn by a straight line connecting the start and end points of the notch portion 20. If the thread end is a triangle or a square, the notch is made such that a line passing through the center and dividing the shape of the thread end into two equal parts coincides with a line drawn by a straight line connecting the start and end points of the notch portion 20. As a result, when the notches of the inner flaps are aligned, they match the shape of the thread end on the bottom surface of the product. Furthermore, multiple notches 20 may be provided depending on the number of rows of products to be stored in the corrugated cardboard case. If multiple notches are provided, it is preferable that they be of the same shape. Also, if multiple notches are provided, it is preferable that the line drawn by a straight line connecting the start and end points of each notch portion 20 coincides with the straight edges constituting each notch shape.
[0026] The blank sheet for the corrugated cardboard case according to this embodiment can be formed by punching out corrugated cardboard. In this case, the notch portion 20 may be formed at the same time as punching out the blank sheet, or the notch portion 20 may be added after the blank sheet has been punched out without a notch. In this embodiment, the case in which the notch portion 20 is added at the same time as punching out the blank sheet will be explained as an example.
[0027] In the punched blank sheet, the adhesive portion 14 shown in Figure 1 is attached to the side panel 5. At this time, the adhesive portion 14 may be attached so as to be located on the outside or inside of the box during box making. In this embodiment, it is attached so as to be located on the inside. That is, the adhesive portion is not visible from the outside during box making. The blank sheet with the adhesive portion 14 attached to the side panel 5 forms a rectangular tubular section. Next, a pair of inner flaps 10 and 11 extending downward from the lower edges of the opposing pair of side panels 4 and 5 are folded so that they are on the inside of the corrugated cardboard case, and then the ends 12a and 13a of a pair of outer flaps 12 and 13 extending downward from the lower edges of the other opposing side panels (front panel 2 and rear panel 3) are folded so that they come into contact with each other. At this time, the outer flaps 12 and 13 and the inner flaps 10 and 11 can be fixed by applying hot melt adhesive to the surface of the inner flaps that is facing outwards. Alternatively, the outer flaps 12 and 13 may be folded and then secured by applying adhesive tape to cover the ends 12a and 13a of the outer flaps. This completes the bottom of the cardboard box.
[0028] Next, the cardboard case is inverted upside down, resulting in a cardboard case with an open top. Product C is then filled into this cardboard case. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view (viewpoint AA in Figure 2) when product C is filled in 3 rows and 2 layers (6 in total), and Figure 5 shows the state of the bottom of the cardboard case when product C is filled (viewpoint BB in Figure 2). As shown in Figure 5, the notches 20 provided in the inner flaps 10 and 11 are formed to be slightly larger than the semicircular shape of the thread end of product C. As a result, approximately half of the thread end of each product C on the left and right sides is sandwiched in the notches 20. Consequently, the bottom surface of the thread end is in contact with the outer flap, so it does not float up by the thickness of the inner flap. Also, because the thread end is sandwiched in the notches 20, the oscillation of the thread end is suppressed by the notches.
[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the product C does not float up due to the thickness of the inner flap, the length in the height direction of the corrugated cardboard case, that is, the length in the height direction of the front panel 2, rear panel 3, and side panels 4, 5 in Figure 1, can be made approximately the same as the height of the stacked products C. This reduces dead space inside the corrugated cardboard case and also reduces the amount of material required to form the corrugated cardboard case.
[0030] Furthermore, it is preferable that the length of the cardboard case in the longitudinal direction (the length of the front panel 2 and rear panel 3 in the longitudinal direction in Figure 1) be slightly larger than the product of the "maximum diameter of product C to be filled" and the "number of items to be filled in one row".
[0031] When actually filling the cardboard case with product C, the lower layer is filled first, followed by the upper layer. Then, the pair of inner flaps 6 and 7 that extend upward from the upper edges of the opposing pair of side panels 4 and 5 are folded so that they are on the inside of the cardboard case, and hot melt adhesive is applied to the outer surface of the inner flaps. Subsequently, the outer flaps and inner flaps can be fixed by folding the pair of outer flaps 8 and 9 that extend upward from the upper edges of the opposing front panel 2 and rear panel 3 so that their ends 8a and 9a touch each other. Alternatively, after folding the inner flaps 6 and 7, the outer flaps 8 and 9 may be folded, and adhesive tape may be applied to cover the ends 8a and 9a of the outer flaps to fix them in place. This allows product C to be distributed. As mentioned above, the length of the cardboard case in the height direction can be made to be approximately the same as the height of the stacked products C. Therefore, there is no gap between the top surfaces of the left and right products C that are covered by the inner flaps and the inner flaps (see Figure 4). This allows the inner flaps 6 and 7 to hold down the products C from above, effectively preventing the products C from shaking.
Claims
[Claim 1] It is a Type A cardboard box, Each of the pair of inner flaps on the bottom side has at least one notch on its periphery. A-type corrugated cardboard case, in which the notch is positioned to face a notch provided on the opposing inner flap.