EP0235143A1

EP0235143A1 - A clip for holding together two superposed portions or portions folded upon each other of a box or the like formed by a blank.

Info

Publication number: EP0235143A1
Application number: EP85905915A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gustaf Alvar Gustafsson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-11-23
Filing date: 1985-11-07
Publication date: 1987-09-09
Also published as: DK337286D0; JPS62500861A; SE8405925D0; WO1986003175A1; DK337286A; SE8405925L; FI84041C; FI84041B; FI872280L; NO164013B; NO862801L; DE3579323D1; NO862801D0; EP0235143B1; SE464243B; FI872280A0; NO164013C; DK158449C; DK158449B

Abstract

Une agrafe pour retenir ensemble des parties (3, 5) superposées ou pliées l'une sur l'autre d'une ébauche de boîte que l'on plie pour former une boîte ou similaire est formée d'une paire de pans (8). Une bande (10) est connectée de façon permanente à au moins un pan, et s'insère dans des fentes ou des ouvertures (6) alignées dans la partie de paroi de la boîte formée par les parties de l'ébauche superposées ou pliées l'une sur l'autre. Une fois la bande insérée dans les fentes, les parties de paroi de l'ébauche sont retenues l'une contre l'autre par les pans de l'agrafe. Un des pans peut être amovible et montable sur la bande une fois que celle-ci est insérée dans les fentes.A clip for holding together overlapping or folded portions (3, 5) of a box blank being folded to form a box or the like is formed from a pair of panels (8). A strip (10) is permanently connected to at least one panel and fits into aligned slots or openings (6) in the wall portion of the box formed by the overlapping or folded portions of the blank. Once the strip is inserted into the slots, the wall portions of the blank are held together by the panels of the clip. One of the panels may be removable and mountable on the strip once the strip is inserted into the slots.

Description

A clip for holding together two superposed portions or portion folded upon each other_of a box or the like formed by a blan

The invention has for its purpose the provision of a simple, reliable and low cost arrangement for making finished boxes from plane box blanks of a foldable mate¬ rial, per se optional, for instance cardboard, carrugated cardboard etc. This purpose is attained by the clip for holding together superposed or upon each other folded portions of box blank portions according to the claims. The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings .

Figs. 1a - 1c are perspective views showing dia- grammatically the folding of a plane box blank to a fi- nished box, Fig. 1c showing the box folded together and having clips according to the invention applied,

^• Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first variant of a locking clip^' according to the invention and shown being applied to a folded box blank, Figs.3a - 3c are elevational views of a second variant of the locking clip according to the invention, " Fig. 3a showing the clip from a plane parallel with the side walls thereof, Fig. 3b showing the clip from a plane normal to the one of Fig. 3a and parallel with the dia- metrical web of the clip, and Fig. 3c showing the clip from a plane normal to the plane from which the locking clip is shown in Fig. 3b and normal to the plane of Fig. 3a,

Figs. 4a - 4d show, on one hand, elevational views of and, on the other hand, in section a third variant of the clip according to the invention, the views of Figs. 4a - 4c being views from planes corresponding to the planes of the views of Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c, respectively, and Fig. 4d showing the clip in a mounted position and in section in a plane containing the centre axis of the clip and parallel with the plane of the view of Fig. 4c, Fig: 5 is a perspective view of a fourth variant of the clip of the invention diagrammatically showing mounting the clip on a box having a lid,

Figs. 6a - 6d show, on one hand, in section and, on the other hand, as elevational views a fifth variant of the clip according to the invention, Fig. 6a showing, in section, the clip in mounted position in a sectional plane normal to the side walls of the clip and to the plane of the diametrical web of the clip, and Figs. 6b, 6c and 6d being elevational views showing the clip or one portion thereof from planes corresponding to the planes from which the clip is shown in Figs . 3c , 3a and 3b, respectively, and

Figs. 7a - 7d are diagrammatic views illustrating a method of using the clip according to the invention.

The box blank 1 shown in Figs. 1a and 1b initially is in a planar condition (Fig. 1a) and consists of a central portion 2 intended to form the bottom of the finished box (possibly the top wall of a lid) , and rim portions 3 which, upon having been folded along fold lines 4 to be substantially normal to bottom 2 form the side walls of the box (or a lid) .

In box blank 1 shown two opposed rim portions 3 have tabs 5 to be folded about the intended box corners in the manner shown in Figs. 1b and 1c, said tabs for practical and aesthetical reasons having their outer lower corners cut away. As is understood by the expert the folding tabs 5 may be arranged in various ways . As will be seen from what follows , what is important is , however, that the box blank is designed to have portions which, upon the blank having been folded together, like folding tabs 5 will overlap other portions in the manner shown in Fig. 1c to provide double layers of material, for instance adjacent the box corners. Each tab 5 either has a slot 6 extending from the outer edge of the tab for a distance into the tab and substanti- ally normal to the outer edge, or an aperture (not shown) like the slot extending all through the tab without, how¬ ever, reaching the outer edge of tab 5. Also, the rim portions 3 against which lie tabs 5 , upon the folding of the blank having been completed, have slots 6 or apertu¬ res corresponding, as regards position and size, to slots 6 or the apertures in tabs 5 so that slots 6 or the aper¬ tures in the rim portions, upon folding of blank 1 having been completed, will coincide with and will constitute continuations inwardly towards the interior of the box of slots 6 or the apertures in tabs 5.

Upon the box blank (or the lid blank) having been folded in the manner shown in Figs. 1a and 1b clips 7 may be mounted to keep tabs 5 against those rim portions 3 against which they were folded. The variant of the clip shown in Fig. 2 is substantially rectangular and consists of two plane, mutually parallel walls 8 spaced to encompass with a relatively close fit tab 5 folded against rim portion 3 and the rim portion. The two walls 8 of clip 7 are interconnected by an end wall 9 at their end edges, their other end walls being free to allow them to be slipped inwardly over a tab 5 and a rim portion 3. Each clip 7 also has a web 10 preferably extending along a centre line of the interior faces of walls 8 and normal to end wall 9 from the latter and to adjacent the free end edges of walls 8. Web 10 is connected to the interior faces of walls 8 and has a thickness and a length corresponding to the width and length of slots 6. Evidently, clip 7 in the manner in- dicated in Fig. 2 may be slipped inwardly over tab 5' and rim portion 3 with web 10 fitted into slots 6 and the clip in this position will effectively hold together tab 5 and rim portion 3 without being able to slide along the side of the box since, of course, this is prevented by web 10 fitted into slots 6.

To facilitate handling clips 7 these, as shown for the variant of Fig. 2, adjacent end wall 9 may be provided with a thickened portion 11 on at least one of walls 8.

The variant shown in Figs. 3a-c has circular walls 8 held together only by a web 10. Preferably, walls 8 have bevels at their outer peripheries and on their opposed faces as shown to facilitate mounting the clip. Also, the clip according to Figs. 3a-c has a preferably central, circular button 11 ' on the exterior face of one wall 8 with respect to the mounted position on a box, the outer end of said button having a larger dia¬ meter than the portion thereof closer to wall 8, for instance by it being formed as a short cylinder having an outer circumferential flange. Button 11 ' is intended for use with a strap having buttonholes for wrapping about a box having a lid.

Figs. 4a-d show yet another circular variant of the locking clip. This variant, however, only has one complete wall 8. The wall being the interior one in the intended mounted position, Fig. 4d, only is a half wall and is connected to the complete, circular outer wall by an end wall 9' extending along a diameter. The half of outer wall 8 extending upwardly above the intended upper edge of the box in the mounted position hence, as shown in Fig. 4d, may constitute support for an upper box placed upon a lower box permitting using the variant according to Figs. 4a-d of this design when one wishes to stack a number of boxes. Web 10 may be omitted so that the variant of Figs. 4a-d as thus embodied may • be used solely for stacking boxes, any one of the rest of the variants of the clip according to the invention being used to hold together folded box blanks 1.

The variant shown in Fig. 5 is rectangular and relatively elongated and has, on one hand, in the intended position of use, downwardly extending walls 8, and, on the other hand, in the same position, upwardly extending walls 8 ' as well as an interior transverse end wall 9. Longitudinally extending central webs 10, 10 ' extend from the latter in both directions . As is clearly evident from Fig. 5 this clip may be used at the same time for holding together a box blank and a lid and securing the lid in the correct position on the box. Of course, the variant according to Fig. 5 may also be of circular design and be provided with a button 11 ' . In the variant according to Figs. 6a-d one of walls 8 is detachable and, in the manner similar to the manner of use of a snap fastener, adapted to be attached to a web 10 connected to the other wall 8 upon the latter wall 8 having been mounted against one face of the box wall portion formed by two box blank por¬ tions 3 and 5 and upon the web 10 thereof having been inserted into aligned apertures in the box blank por¬ tions, as is shown in Fig. 6a. The web* is shown in Figs. 6a-d as formed as a long and narrow member ex- tending across a substantial portion of a diameter of the wall 8 to which it is connected. Also, it is bi¬ furcated in the longitudinal direction thereof in the manner shown in Figs. 6a and 6b by a slot of V-shaped section the tip of which is near the plane of the in- tended interior face of the wall 8 which is connected- to web 10 and which is open at the free end edge of web 10. Web 10 is divided by the slot in two legs ter¬ minating with end edges 12 of sawtooth shape in section and oriented in the manner shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. The distance between the face of the sawtooth-shaped end edges 12 facing the wall 8 connected to web 10 and the interior face of said wall 8 corresponds to the thickness of the two blank portions 3 and 5 plus the thickness of detachable wall 8. The latter has an elongated aperture 13 along a diameter the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of web 10 interior- ly of the end edges 12 of the web. Upon the web of the wall 8 provided with web 10 hence having been slipped through the aligned apertures in blank portions 3 and 5 , web 10 will project from the face spaced from the wall 8 provided with a web of the box wall portion formed by blank portions 3 and 5 to such extent that detachable wall 8 with its aperture 13 may be slipped over the two sawtooth-shaped end edges of web 10 and mounted between the interior edges thereof and ^"the said box wall portion face. As understood by the expert, the two legs of web 10, when detachable wall 8 is being slipped on to web 10 , will initially spring together to permit detachable wall 8 to be slipped over and beyond end edges 12, and subsequently they will spring apart so that detachable wall 8, upon completion of the slip over operation, will be locked between the box wall portion face and the interior faces of sawtooth end edges 12. To facili-. tate the operation of slipping detachable wall 8 on to web 10 the aperture 13 of the wall preferably is bevelled such that, as shown in Fig. 6b, it widens towards the intended interior face of detachable wall 8.

Web 10 of the embodiment just described is not necessarily of the elongated shape shown in Figs. 6a-d. For instance, it may be cylindrical and^" provided with a circular sawtooth-shaped flange 12 at the free end thereof, detachable wall 8 of course having a corres¬ pondingly shaped and sized circular aperture 13.

One advantage of the embodiment shown in Figs . 6a-d and the variant thereof just described is the fact that the apertures or slots 6 through which web 10 is to be moved need not open at an outer edge of the blank portions 3 and 5 in question. Hereby, of course, a blank 1 (or a box or a lid) is obtained which is not as prone to be damaged as a blank having slots 6 opening at free edges .

Figs. 7a-d show a method of using the clip according to the invention for holding together superposed or upon each other folded box or lid walls in such cases where the superposed or upon each other folded box or lid wall portions, even though they are not joined for instance by being glued together, still cannot be separated, for instance on account of the distance to free wall edges being large. In one of the adjacent walls there are cut, on one hand, a slot 6 and, on the other hand, through grooves 14. The grooves permit folding out triangular wall portions 16 along fold lines 15 according to Fig.

7b. As is evident from Figs. 7a and 7b slot 6 and grooves 15 are cut in such a manner that slot 6, upon the triangular wall portions 16 having been folded out from the plane of the paper in the manner shown in Fig. 7b, will open into the aperture in the wall brought about by the said folding out. In the other wall there is cut out or stamped out an aperture 17 sized to permit the clip to be inserted into it broadside first and pre¬ ferably shaped to correspond to the shape of the broad- side or walls 8 ^'of the clip used. There is also cut in the other wall a slot 6 opening into aperture 17 as is shown in Fig. 7c. In this case the other wall is the box or lid wall 5 which is freely accessible from the outside upon the blank having been folded to form a box or a lid.

The clip is now used to hold together walls 3 and 5 in the manner indicated in Fig. 7b. Upon walls 3 and 5 having been laid together, the clip, in the manner shown in Fig. 7d, is inserted into aperture 17 of wall 5. The clip, in this stage of insertion being somewhat askew, will push out the lower edges of the triangular wall portions 16 of Fig. 7a, b and d so that these will fold out somewhat about fold lines 15. This having occurred, the clip, oriented such that web 10 thereof (provided this if of the shape as shown for instance in Figs. 2 or 3) as seen in projection on a plane parallel with walls 3 and 5 extends along an imaginary extension of slot 6, may now broadside first completely be in¬ serted into aperture 17 and pushed downwardly along slot 6 so that the two walls 8 of the clip between them- selves will hold together walls 3 and 5 as shown at the bottom of Fig. 7d. The triangular walls thereupon may be pressed inwardly against wall 5 and the clip may be pushed upwardly somewhat in slot 6 so that thereupon the clip will hold in the triangular wall portions 16 with its interior wall 8.

Claims

Claims .

1. A clip for holding together superposed or upon each other folded portions (3, 5) of a blank (1) folded to form a box and/or a box lid or the like, characterized by walls (8, 8') which in the intended position of use with respect to the box or the lid are interior and exterior walls adapted to be placed on each side of the box wall formed by the blank portions (3, 5) and on either side thereof holding together and biasing toward eachother the box wall portions formed by the blank portions by means of a web (10, 10') connecting the two walls and extending, in the said mounted position of the clip, through aligned slots or apertures (6) in the box wall portions.

2. The clip of claim 1, characterized in that its two walls (8, 8') are circular or rectangular and preferably bevelled along at least the portions of the peripheral edges of their interior faces with which the clip is initially to be slipped over edges of the two upon each other folded or superposed blank portions (3, 5) .

3. The clip of claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the web (10, 10') is elongated and extends along at least a portion of a line which is central with respect to the walls (8, 8') of the clip.

4. The clip of any preceding claim, characterized in that its two walls (8, 8') are interconnected by an end wall (9, 9') which, when the web (10, 10') is of elongated shape, extends normal to the web and which either connects two of the adjacent end edges of the walls of the clip or is common to two portions of the clip the two walls of which extend in opposite direc¬ tions from the end wall, webs being preferably provided on either side thereof, or connects an end edge of one clip wall to the interior face of the other wall remote from the two end edges of the last-mentioned wall which are parallel with the. end wall, or along a chord, preferably a diameter, of the interior face of the wall in question of a clip having circular walls.

5. The clip of any one of claims 1 - 3, characterized 5 in that one of its walls (8) is detachable and adapted, upon the web (10) connected to the other wall having been slipped through the slots or apertures (6) of the superposed or upon each other folded blank portions (3, 5) , to be slipped on to the web with an aperture (13) o corresponding to the web and to be secured thereupon in a position wherein the blank portions are held and biased againsteach other.

6. The clip of claim 5, characterized in that the web (10) is bifurcated along a plane normal to the wall 5 (8) of the clip, said plane, when the web is elongated, coinciding with the longitudinal principal plane of the we,b, the bifurcation preferably being provided such that the web is divided by an incision which in section is V-shaped and which tapers towards the wall of the 0 clip and opens at the free end edge of the web, the two legs of the bifurcated web at the outer ends therof being provided with hooks (12) of sawtooth-like section for retaining the detachable wall slipped on to the web.

7. The clip of any preceding claim, characterized 5 in that at lest one of its walls (8, 8') is provided with a button (11') for attaching thereto a strap with buttonholes, the outer end of the button preferably being of larger transverse dimension than the rest of the button. 0 8. The clip of any preceding claim, characterized by a thickened portion (11) provided at one end of the clip to facilitate handling the clip.

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