Foldable cardboard package

Abstract

The present invention relates to foldable cardboard packages, in particular to a single piece cardboard package with adjustable capacity and improved reusability. The object of this invention is a single-piece cardboard package (100) comprising a storage compartment and a lid, wherein the storage compartment includes two squared zones (30), each one delimited at the top by the upper edge of the respective wall panels and at the bottom by a horizontal crease (15), and include diagonal creases (16) that enable the folding of the front two corners of the storage compartment associated with the squared zones (30) to fold the upper edges of the storage compartment, thus decreasing the maximum capacity of the cardboard package. The proposed invention aims to provide a single-piece cardboard package that allows the adjustment of the storage capacity and allows repeated use without compromising the structural integrity and proper sealing of the storage goods.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] FOLDABLE CARDBOARD PACKAGE

[0003] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to foldable cardboard packages, in particular to a single piece cardboard package with adjustable capacity and improved reusability.

[0005] PRIOR ART

[0006] Single-piece cardboard boxes are widely used for packaging, storing and shipping of numerous products. Cardboard boxes are light and easy to assemble, while being sturdy if handled properly.

[0007] Usually, cardboard boxes are provided in a range of different sizes depending on the maximum storage capacity, which limits the user to choose over different boxes when it is necessary to securely accommodate products of different sizes.

[0008] In addition, although cardboard boxes can be reused several times, traditional designs often result in a loose and cumbersome closure, making it difficult to reopen and reseal the boxes during repeated uses before final shipping.

[0009] The proposed invention aims to provide a single-piece cardboard package that allows the adjustment of the storage capacity and allows repeated use without compromising the structural integrity and proper sealing of the storage goods.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of this invention is a single-piece cardboard package (100) comprising a storage compartment and a lid, wherein: - said storage compartment is defined by four wall panels and a bottom surface, said four wall panels being sequentially arranged to form a closed rectangular enclosure upon folding and delimited by three vertical creases (11), the four wall panels comprising a first end-wall panel (1), a second end-wall panel (4) and two middle wall panels (2, 3) disposed between and adjacent to the first (1) and second end-wall panels (4);

[0012] - the lid comprises a lid panel (6), said lid panel (6) being disposed adjacent to the upper edge of the first end-wall panel (1), separated from said first end-wall panel (1) by a horizontal crease (12);

[0013] - the bottom surface comprises a bottom panel (5), the bottom panel (5) being disposed adjacent to the lower edge of any one of the four wall panels, separated from said wall panel by a horizontal crease (13), and positioned opposite the lid panel (6);

[0014] - each wall panel comprises at least two parallel horizontal creases (14, 15) positioned within the upper half of the panel and extending continuously across all four wall panels;

[0015] - the storage compartment further includes two squared zones (30), each positioned at the interface between two consecutive wall panels, wherein: a) one squared zone (30) is positioned at the interface between the two middle wall panels (2, 3); and b) another squared zone (30) is positioned at the interface between the middle wall panel (3) and the end-wall panel (4); and

[0016] - the squared zones (30) are delimited at the top by the upper edge of the respective wall panels and at the bottom by a horizontal crease (15) and include diagonal creases (16) that converge at the center point of each squared zone (30), enabling the folding of the two corners of the storage compartment associated with the squared zones (30), the center point being further defined by the intersection of a vertical crease (11) separating consecutive wall panels and a horizontal crease (14) extending continuously across the wall panels.

[0017] In a first configuration of the cardboard package of the present invention, the wall panels (1, 2, 3, 4) form a tubular structure by folding the vertical creases (11), the bottom panel (5) forms the bottom surface of one end of said tubular structure, and the lid panel (6) forms the top surface of said tubular shape by folding the horizontal crease (12), being this first configuration a closed cardboard package with maximum capacity.

[0018] In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the cardboard package can become smaller having a decreased capacity by acquiring a second configuration. The diagonal creases (16) of the squared zones (30) allow the bottom half of said squared zones (30) to be folded inward and thus allow a first folding motion of the upper edge of the of the middle wall panels (2, 3) and second end-wall panel (4), including the upper half of the squared zones (30), along the horizontal crease (14), thus becoming said horizontal crease (14) a first folded upper edge. Then, in a second folding motion, the fist folded upper edge of the middle wall panels (2, 3) and second end-wall panel (4) is folded inward along the horizontal crease (15), thus becoming said horizontal crease (15) a second folded upper edge for the middle wall panels (2, 3) and second end-wall panel (4). These folding motions result in a sequential decrease of the height of the storage compartment while in an open configuration.

[0019] In addition, the horizontal creases (14, 15) allow the upper portion of the first end-wall panel (1) to be folded inward so that the horizontal crease (15) becomes a folded upper edge of the first end-wall panel (1), being disposed adjacent to the horizontal crease (12). The lid panel (6) can then close the storage compartment by folding the horizontal crease (12), resulting in the second configuration of the cardboard package with decreased capacity.

[0020] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] Figure 1 - Plan view of the preferred embodiment of the single-piece cardboard package (100).

[0022] Figure 2 - Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a first open configuration, wherein the storage compartment has maximum capacity having the intermediate panel partially folded inside the storage compartment and the two squared zones (30) folded along the vertical crease (11) forming the top corners of the single-piece cardboard package (100).

[0023] Figure 3 - Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a first closed configuration, wherein the storage compartment has maximum capacity.

[0024] Figure 4 - Perspective view of a first folding step to decrease the maximum height of the single-piece cardboard package (100), wherein the two squared zones (30) are partially folded inwards to allow the inward collapse of the top portion of the wall panels (2, 3, 4).

[0025] Figure 5 - Perspective view of a second folding step to decrease the maximum height of the single-piece cardboard package (100), wherein the two squared zones (30) are fully folded inwards and the top portion of the wall panels (2, 3, 4) is folded inwards along the horizontal creases (14, 15).

[0026] Figure 6 - Perspective view of a third folding step to decrease the maximum height of the single-piece cardboard package (100), wherein the top portion of the first end-wall panel (1) is folded inwards along the horizontal creases (14, 15).

[0027] Figure 7 - Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a second open configuration, wherein the storage compartment has a reduced capacity as the height of the single-piece cardboard package (100) is reduced. The intermediate panel (7) is folded inside the storage compartment, further decreasing the storage capacity of the single-piece cardboard package (100), e.g. to accommodate delicate goods, or creating a separate compartment inside the storage compartment, if necessary.

[0028] Figure 8 - Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a second closed configuration, wherein the rip strip (61) of each flap (50) allows the singlepiece cardboard package (100) to be opened and re-used if necessary. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The more general and advantageous configurations of the present invention are described in the Summary of the Invention. Such configurations are detailed below in accordance with other advantageous and / or preferred embodiments of implementation of the present invention.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cardboard package comprises an intermediate panel (7) positioned adjacent to and directly attached to the upper edge of the second end-wall panel (4), separated from said second end-wall panel (4) by a horizontal crease (12). The intermediate panel (7) is allowed to be folded into the storage compartment to create an inner compartment inside the package, thus having at least two compartments inside the package, which may be useful for the storage of separate goods.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate panel (7) comprises at least one horizontal crease (17) that allows the intermediate panel (7) to create an inner vertical wall and a top wall to limit the inner compartment. Preferably, the intermediate panel (7) comprises at least two horizontal creases (17, 18), in which one horizontal crease (18) comprises a tab (40) configured to engage with the bottom panel (5). In an advantageous aspect, the tab (40) is pushed against the carboard sheet of the bottom panel (5), thereby locking and forming the inner compartment within the main storage compartment, while also reinforcing the structure of the cardboard package with said inner vertical wall.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lid panel (6) comprises three flaps (50), each flap (50) being disposed adjacent to a respective edge of the lid panel (6), wherein the flap (50) adjacent to the upper edge of the lid panel (6) is separated by a horizontal crease (19) and each flap (50) adjacent to the opposite lateral edges of the lid panel (6) is separated by a vertical crease (20). Preferably, each flap (50) comprises two strip tapes (60) and one rip strip (61) disposed substantially parallel to the respective edge of the lid panel (6), wherein each strip tape (60) comprises an adhesive surface and a peel-off surface covering said adhesive surface

[0033] In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the strip tapes (60) allow the lid to seal to the storage compartment, preventing direct access to the stored goods inside the package. In addition, the rip strip (61) is disposed between the two strip tapes (60) and comprises at least two perforated parallel rows extending along the length of the flap (50) to facilitate tearing of said rip strip (61). The placement of the rip strip (61) between the two tape strips (60) in each flap (50) allows the package to be sealed once and reused by first sealing the package with the tape strips (60) disposed on the edge of each flap (50), then tearing the rip strip (61) to allow the lid to seal the package again with the tape strips (60) disposed adjacent to the respective edge of the lid panel (6).

[0034] In another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the flaps (50) adjacent to the respective lateral edge of the lid panel (6) have a bottom portion that extends downward beyond the lateral edge of the lid panel (6), in that said bottom portion is separated from the flap (50) by a horizontal crease (12). The bottom portion in each lateral flap (50) is folded over the corner on the back of the package in the closed configuration, so that the contents inside the package are protected from access from the corners when the package is closed. Preferably, the horizontal crease (12) of the bottom portion in each lateral flap (50) is perforated to facilitate the opening of the lid after the first sealing of the package, to allow the reuse of the package.

[0035] To further protect the stored goods inside the package to be accessed when the package is closed, the first end-wall panel (1) comprises a lateral flap (52) disposed adjacent to the side edge of the first end-wall panel (1) opposite the middle panel (2), separated by a vertical crease (11), wherein said lateral flap (52) covers the gap formed between the first and second-end wall panels (1, 4) upon folding of the wall panels (1, 2, 3, 4) into a tubular structure.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the middle wall panels (2, 3) and the second-end wall each comprise one bottom flap (51) disposed adjacent to the lower edge of said wall panels (2, 3, 4), separated by a horizontal crease (13). The bottom flaps are configured to engage with each other and also with the bottom panel (5) to securely close the bottom surface and to protect the stored goods from being accessed from the bottom. In addition, the bottom flaps (51) adjacent to the middle wall panels (2, 3) comprise a diagonal crease (22) enabling the folding of the bottom flaps (51).

[0037] Preferably, the bottom panel (5) comprises a diagonal crease (21) disposed along the lateral edge and at least one tab (41) disposed on the lower edge of said bottom panel (5), and the bottom flap (51) adjacent to the middle wall panel (3) comprises at least one notch (70) disposed on the horizontal crease (13), being the at least one tab (41) configured to engage and fit into the at least one notch (70) to secure the bottom panel (5) flat in place and lock the bottom surface of the package, thereby improving the seal of the package.

[0038] In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the diagonal creases (22) of the bottom flaps (51) adjacent to the middle panels (2, 3) are perforated to facilitate the folding motions of said bottom flaps (51).

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal crease (14) is perforated along the two middle wall panels (2, 3) and second end-wall panel (4), to facilitate the folding of the upper edge of said wall panels (2, 3, 4) and decrease the height of the package.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the vertical creases (11) comprise a perforated portion, to locally facilitate the tearing of said vertical creases. The perforated portions along the vertical creases (11) are particularly useful in the bottom half of the squared zone (30), to facilitate the folding inward of said bottom half of the squared zone (30). A perforated portion in the upper half of the vertical crease (11) at the interface between the first end-wall panel (1) and middle wall panels (2) also facilitates the partial tear of said vertical crease (11) to release the lid and allow the folding motions to reduce the capacity of the cardboard package.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the package is made of a singlepiece of corrugated cardboard comprising two outer layers of smooth cardboard and an inner fluted corrugated layer which fills the gap between the two layers of smooth cardboard.

[0042] Of course, the preferred embodiments shown above are combinable, in different possible configurations, being the present invention not limited to the embodiments previously described.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A single-piece cardboard package (100) comprising a storage compartment and a lid, wherein:- said storage compartment is defined by four wall panels and a bottom surface, said four wall panels being sequentially arranged to form a closed rectangular enclosure upon folding and delimited by three vertical creases (11), the four wall panels comprising a first end-wall panel (1), a second endwall panel (4) and two middle wall panels (2, 3) disposed between and adjacent to the first (1) and second end-wall panels (4);- the lid comprises a lid panel (6), said lid panel (6) being disposed adjacent to the upper edge of the first end-wall panel (1), separated from said first endwall panel (1) by a horizontal crease (12);- the bottom surface comprises a bottom panel (5), the bottom panel (5) being disposed adjacent to the lower edge of any one of the four wall panels, separated from said wall panel by a horizontal crease (13), and positioned opposite the lid panel (6);- each wall panel comprises at least two parallel horizontal creases (14, 15) positioned within the upper half of the panel and extending continuously across all four wall panels;- the storage compartment further includes two squared zones (30), each positioned at the interface between two consecutive wall panels, wherein: a. one squared zone (30) is positioned at the interface between the two middle wall panels (2, 3); and b. another squared zone (30) is positioned at the interface between the middle wall panel (3) and the second end-wall panel (4); and- the squared zones (30) are delimited at the top by the upper edge of the respective wall panels and at the bottom by a horizontal crease (15) and include diagonal creases (16) that converge at the center point of each squared zone (30), enabling the folding of the two corners of the storage compartment associated with the squared zones (30), the center point beingfurther defined by the intersection of a vertical crease (11) separating consecutive wall panels and a horizontal crease (14) extending continuously across the wall panels.

2. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to the previous claim comprising an intermediate panel (7) positioned adjacent to and directly attached to the upper edge of the second end-wall panel (4), separated from said second end-wall panel (4) by a horizontal crease (12).

3. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to claim 2 wherein the intermediate panel (7) comprises at least one horizontal crease (17).

4. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to claim 2 wherein the intermediate panel (7) comprises at least two horizontal creases (17, 18), in which one horizontal crease (18) comprises a tab (40) configured to engage with the bottom panel (5) to lock and form an inner compartment within the storage compartment.

5. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein the lid panel (6) comprises three flaps (50), each flap (50) being disposed adjacent to a respective edge of the lid panel (6), wherein: the flap (50) adjacent to the upper edge of the lid panel (6) is separated by a horizontal crease (19); and each flap (50) adjacent to the opposite lateral edges of the lid panel (6) is separated by a vertical crease (20).

6. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to the previous claim wherein each flap (50) comprises two strip tapes (60) and one rip strip (61) disposed substantially parallel to the respective edge of the lid panel (6), wherein: each strip tape (60) comprises an adhesive surface and a peel-off surface covering said adhesive surface;the rip strip (61) is disposed between the two strip tapes (60) and comprises at least two perforated parallel rows extending along the length of the flap (50) to facilitate tearing of said rip strip (61).

7. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any one of claims 5-6 wherein the flaps (50) adjacent to the respective lateral edge of the lid panel (6) have a bottom portion that extends downward beyond the lateral edge of the lid panel (6), in that said bottom portion is separated from the flap (50) by a horizontal crease (12).

8. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to the previous claim wherein the horizontal crease (12) in the bottom portion is perforated.

9. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein each of the middle wall panels (2, 3) and the second-end wall each comprise one bottom flap (51) disposed adjacent to the lower edge of said wall panels (2, 3, 4), separated by a horizontal crease (13).

10. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein the bottom panel (5) comprises a diagonal crease (21) disposed along the lateral edge and at least one tab (41) disposed on the lower edge of said bottom panel (5), and the bottom flap (51) adjacent to the middle wall panel (3) comprises at least one notch (70) disposed on the horizontal crease (13), being the at least one tab (41) configured to engage and fit into the at least one notch (70) to secure the bottom panel (5) flat in place.

11. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of claims 9-10 wherein the bottom flaps (51) adjacent to the middle wall panels (2, 3) comprise a diagonal crease (22) enabling the folding of the bottom flaps (51).

12. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to the previous claim wherein the diagonal creases (22) of the bottom flaps (51) adjacent to the middle panels (2, 3) are perforated.

13. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein the horizontal crease (14) is perforated along the two middle wall panels (2, 3) and second end-wall panel (4).

14. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein the first end-wall panel (1) comprises a lateral flap (52) disposed adjacent to the side edge of the first end-wall panel (1) opposite the middle panel (2), separated by a vertical crease (11).

15. A single-piece cardboard package (100) according to any of the previous claims wherein one or more of the vertical creases (11) comprise a perforated portion.

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