GB2284803A - A blank assembly and container - Google Patents

Abstract

A blank assembly comprises a first blank (100) of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material including a bottom panel (2) having a major fold line (19) and sidewall panels (3, 4) integrally joined to opposite sides of the bottom panel (2) about further fold lines (5, 6) extending parallel to the major fold line, and at least one second blank (101) of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material connected to the side wall panels (3, 4). The first blank (100) is foldable about the major fold line (19) between a collapsed condition and a partially erected condition in which the first blank (100) is folded open so that the side wall panels (34) define spaced-apart side walls substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel (12) and the or each of second blank defines partitioning means between the side walls. A further blank may be attached to support the container in a display position. <IMAGE>

Description

A BLANK ASSEMBLY AND CONTAINER ERECTED THEREFROM This invention relates to a blank assembly comprising a number of joined together blanks of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material which can be assembled to form a container, e.g. a display container such as a container for displaying books or the like in a store.

It is known to provide book displays made from doublefaced corrugated board material. Normally such displays are formed from a plurality of blanks of board material which each have to be erected on site and subsequently fixed together.

The present invention seeks to provide a blank assembly comprising a number of blanks of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material, e.g. double-faced board material, which are joined together to form a single unit and which can be folded flat for storage and folded apart to form an at least partly erected container or the like.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a blank assembly comprising a first blank of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material including a bottom panel having a major fold line and side wall panels integrally joined to opposite sides of the bottom panel about further fold lines extending parallel to said major fold line, and at least one second blank of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material connected to the side wall panels, whereby the first blank is foldable about said major fold line between a collapsed condition, in which the side wall panels are folded flat adjacent each other and the said second blank(s) is (are) folded flat against parts of the first blank, and a partially erected condition, in which the first blank is folded open so that the side wall panels define spaced-apart side walls substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel and the or each of said second blanks defines partitioning means between said side walls.

The blank assembly according to the invention defines a pop-up assembly in which the first and second blanks are joined together at the point of manufacture. The blank assembly can be folded flat into its collapsed condition for transport to its point of intended use and subsequently assembled on site by folding the blank assembly open into its pop-up" partially erected condition. From this partially erected condition, the finished "container" can be easily transformed into its final erected condition.

The or each second blank is preferably adhesively connected to the side wall panels of the first blank.

Although it is intended that these adhesive connections are made at the point of manufacture, it is of course possible for the end-user to be supplied with the various blanks and to adhesively, or otherwise, connect the blanks together.

Preferably end wall panels are integrally joined to opposite ends of the said bottom panel. Each end wall panel is folded substantially flat against itself when the blank assembly is in its collapsed condition and, in the partially erected condition of the blank assembly, is foldable around partitioning means at opposite ends of the bottom panel to define spaced-apart end walls.

A third blank may be connected, preferably adhesively connected, to the first blank to provide, in the fully erected condition of the blank assembly, a base for supporting a container provided by the first and second erected blanks.

Preferably the third blank is connected to the underside of said bottom panel and is folded together outside the first blank when the blank assembly is folded into its collapsed condition. The third blank suitably includes a transverse fold line, extending generally perpendicularly to the said major fold line, enabling the third blank to be folded back on itself about said further fold line beneath the first blank before the blank assembly is folded into its collapsed condition. Alternatively, however, the erected "container" may be supported on a separate, e.g. pre-existing, base at the site of the end user. For example for use as a book display in a shop, the "container" blanks may be supplied separately to the shop for mounting on a separate base already at the shop.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided container apparatus erected from the blank assembly according to said one aspect of the present invention. Preferably the container apparatus comprises a display device for displaying articles of merchandise, e.g.

books, at a point of sale.

The various blanks may be made from any suitable stiff, yet foldable, sheet material although the preferred sheet material is double-faced corrugated board. The fold lines are defined by pre-creasing, pre-scoring and/or pre-cutting the blanks. Typically, each fold line is produced by pre-creasing and also, in some instances, cutting one facing of doublefaced corrugated board at spaced-apart locations along the fold line.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan of a first blank of a blank assembly according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan of one form of second blank of a blank assembly according to the present invention destined to form a transverse divider of a container in the erected condition of the blank assembly, Figure 3 is another form of a second blank of a blank assembly according to the present invention destined to form a longitudinal divider of a container erected from the blank assembly, Figure 4 is a plan of a third blank of a blank assembly according to the present invention, Figure 5 is a fourth blank for use with the blank assembly according to the present invention, and Figure 6 is a perspective view from the front and to one side of container apparatus, in the form of a visual display device for books, erected from the blanks shown in Figures 1 to 5.

Figures 1 to 4 show a container blank generally designated 100 (Figure 1), a first divider blank generally designated 101 (Figure 2) a second divider blank generally designated 102 )Figure 3) and a base blank, generally designated 103 (Figure 4), which blanks together form a onepiece blank assembly which can be erected into a display device. The various blanks are made from stiff, yet foldable, material, preferably a double-faced corrugated board having flutes running in the direction of the double-headed arrow F.

The container blank 100 comprises a generally rectangular bottom panel 2 having opposed side panels 3 and 4 integrally joined to opposite sides of the bottom panel 2 along fold lines 5 and 6, respectively, and end panels 7 and 8 integrally joined to opposite ends of the bottom panel 2 about fold lines 9 and 10, respectively. Outer side flaps 3a, 3b, 3c (4a, 4b, 4c) are integrally joined to the side panel 3 (4) via a fold line 11 (12). End flaps 3d and 3e (4d and 4e) are integrally joined to the side panel 3 (4) via fold lines 13 and 14 (15 and 16), respectively. End flaps 7a and 7b (8a and 8b) are integrally joined to the end panel 7 (8) via a fold line 17 (18).

The container blank 100 is divided by a central, longitudinal major fold line 19 which is parallel to the fold lines 5 and 6 and extends from one end of the blank to the other end of the blank extending through the end panel 7, the bottom panel 19 and the end panel 8.

The first divider blank 101 comprises a rectangular panel 21 having a central fold line 22 arranged mid-way between, and parallel to, longitudinal sides of the blank. End flaps 23, 24 and 25, 26 are integrally joined to the rectangular panel 21 about fold lines 27, 28 and 29, 30, respectively.

Transverse cuts 31 and 32 on a transverse centre line of the blank extend inwardly from the opposite longitudinal sides of the blank towards the central fold line 22.

The second divider blank 102 comprises a generally rectangular panel 70 having end flaps 71, 72 and 73, 74 integrally joined to opposite ends of the panel 70 via fold lines 75, 76 and 77, 78, respectively. A central longitudinal fold line 79 extends from one to the other end of the blank and the rectangular panel is provided with two spaced-apart slits 80 and 81 which cut through, and are arranged perpendicular to, the fold line 79.

The base blank 103, comprises a rectangular base panel 40 having an end panel 41 integrally joined to one side of the base panel via a fold line 42a. Integrally joined to the other side of the base panel 40 along a transverse fold line 42b is a main panel 43. Integrally joined to the main panel 43 via fold lines 44 and 45 are side panels 46 and 47, respectively. Bottom panels 48 and 49 are integrally joined to the side panels 46 and 47, respectively, via fold lines 50 and 51, respectively. Each fold line 50, 51 has, partly along its length, a full slot 52, 53, respectively, formed therein.

Side flaps 55 and 56 are integrally joined to the side panels 46 and 47, respectively, via spaced-apart inclined pairs of fold lines 57, 58 and 59, 60, respectively. End flaps 61 and 62 are integrally joined to the side panels 46 and 47, respectively, via fold lines 63 and 64, respectively. Aligned transverse fold lines 66 and 67 extend generally perpendicularly to a major central longitudinal fold line 68 formed in the base blank 103.

In order to produce a blank assembly according to the present invention, two first divider blanks 101 are provided which are each folded about their fold line 22 so that the end flap 23 is positioned flat against the end flap 24 and the end flap 25 is positioned flat against the end flap 26. The end flaps 23 and 24 are then folded away from each other about fold lines 27 and 28, respectively, so as to lie in a substantially common plane perpendicular to the plane of the folded-together parts of the rectangular panel 21. The end flaps 25 and 26 are similarly folded apart.

In a similar manner, the second divider 102 is folded together about the fold line 79 and each pair of end flaps 71, 72 and 73, 74 are folded apart about their fold lines 75, 76 and 77, 78, respectively.

Each of the folded first divider blanks 101 is now slotted into inter-fitting relationship with the folded second divider blank 102. In particular, this is achieved by the common slot formed by the slits 31 and 32 of one of the blanks 101 being interengaged with the slot formed by the slit 80 in the folded blank 102. In a similar manner, the other folded blank 101 is interengaged with the slot formed by the slit 81 of the folded blank 102. The two blanks 101 and the blank 103 formed in this manner provide a divider assembly.

The divider assembly is now connected to the blank 1.

In particular, the end flaps 23 and 24 of each folded blank 101 have glue applied to their shaded regions shown in the drawings and are adhered to the side panel 3. Similarly, the end flaps 25 and 26 of each blank 101 have glue applied to their shaded regions and are adhered to the side panel 4. The side flaps 3a to 3c and 4a to 4c have glue applied to their shaded regions and these flaps are then folded over and are adhered to the end flaps 23 to 26. The positions of the two blanks 101 are shown schematically in chain lines in Figure 1. Each end flap will thus be sandwiched between one of the side panels 3, 4 and one of the side flaps 3a to 3c, 4a to 4c associated therewith.The folded blank 102 is positioned on the fold line 19 substantially perpendicular to the plane of the paper and the outwardly turned end flaps 71 and 72 are adhesively connected to the inwardly turned end flaps 3d and 4d, respectively, at gluing regions shown on the end flaps 71 and 72. Similarly, the outwardly turned end flaps 73 and 74 are adhered to the inwardly turned end flaps 3e and 4e, respectively, of the upturned side panels 3 and 4.

It will be appreciated that the container blank 100 can be folded about its major fold line 19 between a collapsed condition in which the divider assembly is collapsed and sandwiched between outer parts of the blank 100 and semierected condition in which the blanks 101 and 102 form partition walls extending generally perpendicular to the base panel 2 and between side walls provided by the side panels 3 and 4 and the inwardly turned side flaps 3a to 3c and 4a to 4c.

The base blank 103 is connected to the underside of the panel 2 by adhering the bottom panels 48 and 49 to the bottom panel 2 with the shaded, glued regions on panels 48 and 49 lining up with the shaded, glued regions on the underside of the bottom panel 2. In the collapsed condition of the blank assembly, the parts of the blank 103 to the left (as shown in Figure 4) of the fold lines 66 and 67 are folded underneath the bottom panels 48 and 49 and the bottom panel 2. On folding the blank 100 about the major fold line 19, the blank 103 can also be folded about its major fold line 69.

When the blank assembly is folded outwardly into its partly erected condition, the parts of the blank 103 folded underneath the panel 2 are folded open about fold lines 66 and 67 so as to lie generally in the plane of the bottom panels 48 and 49. The side panels 46 and 47 are folded downwardly about fold lines, 44, 50 and 45, 51, respectively, and the end panel 41 is folded over the end flaps 63 and 64 so that the latter are sandwiched between the base panel 40 and the end panel 41. The side flaps 55, 56 are folded inwardly about fold lines 57, 58 and 59, 60, respectively, so that their angled edges are received in the slots 52 and 53.

In the erected condition of the display device (see Figure 6), the base panel 40 forms the base of the device together with the folded-over end panel 41 and the end flaps 63 and 64 sandwiched between the panels 40 and 41. The main panel 43 and bottom panels 48 and 49 lie in a common plane at an angle to the base, the panels 48 and 49 supporting the display container formed by the erected blanks 100, 101 and 102. To complete the erection of the container, the end panel 7 is folded upwardly against the connected end flaps 71 and 72 and 3d and 4d and the end flaps 7a and 7b are folded inwardly for connection to slots in the bottom panel 2. The end panel 8 and its end flaps 8a and 8b are folded in a similar manner to embrace the end flaps 73 and 74 and 3e and 4e. In this manner, end walls of the container are formed.

In the fully erected display device formed from the blank assembly, there is provided a base (formed from the blank 103) which carries, above the ground, a generally rectangular tray or container (formed from blank 100) internally partitioned by means of the longitudinal divider (formed from blank 102) and transverse dividers (formed by two of the blanks 101).

A separate blank 87 not connected to the blank assembly, may be provided to provide a "header" to the display device.

The header comprises a rectangular main panel 88 having side panels 82 and 83 integrally, foldably joined thereto and a bottom panel also integrally and foldably joined to the panel 88. Bottom flaps 85 and 86 are also foldably connected to the side panels 82 and 83. In use, the header is supported on the upper end wall of the container with the bottom panel 84 supported on the end panel 8 with the bottom flaps 85 and 86 sandwiched between the end panel 8 and the underlying joinedtogether end flaps 73 and 74 and 3e and 4e.

It will be appreciated that the various blanks can be modified. For example, in the blank 101, side flaps may be provided on one (as shown in chain lines in Figure 2) or both sides of the rectangular panel 21 which are folded back in use to provide feet for the transverse divider which rest in use on the bottom panel 2. Furthermore, although in its preferred form the base blank 103 forms part of a one-piece blank assembly, it will be appreciated that it may not be provided, the erected blanks 100-102 being supported, for example, on a different, separate, e.g. pre-existing, base (not shown).

Claims (13)

1. A blank assembly comprising a first blank of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material including a bottom panel having a major fold line and side wall panels integrally joined to opposite sides of the bottom panel about further fold lines extending parallel to said major fold line, and at least one second blank of stiff, yet foldable, sheet material connected to the side wall panels, whereby the first blank is foldable about said major fold line between a collapsed condition, in which the side wall panels are folded flat adjacent each other and the said second blank(s) is (are) folded flat against parts of the first blank, and a partially erected condition, in which the first blank is folded open so that the side wall panels define spaced-apart side walls substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel and the or each of said second blanks defines partitioning means between said side walls.

2. A blank assembly according to claim 1, in which the or each second blank is adhesively connected to the side wall panels of the first blank.

3. A blank assembly according to claim 1 or 2, in which end wall panels are integrally joined to opposite ends of the said bottom panel.

4. A blank assembly according to claim 3, in which each end wall panel is folded substantially flat against itself when the blank assembly is in its collapsed condition and, in the partially erected condition of the blank assembly, is foldable around partitioning means at opposite ends of the bottom panel to define spaced-apart end walls.

5. A blank assembly according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which a third blank is connected, e.g. adhesively connected, to the first blank to provide, in the fully erected condition of the blank assembly, a base for supporting a container provided by the first and second erected blanks.

6. A blank assembly according to claim 5, in which the third blank is connected to the underside of said bottom panel and is folded together outside the first blank when the blank assembly is folded into its collapsed condition.

7. A blank assembly according to claim 5 or 6, in which the third blank suitably includes a transverse fold line, extending generally perpendicularly to the said major fold line, enabling the third blank to be folded back on itself about said further fold line beneath the first blank before the blank assembly is folded into its collapsed condition.

8. A blank assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said sheet material comprises double-faced corrugated board.

9. A blank assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said fold lines are defined by pre-creasing, pre-scoring and/or pre-cutting the blanks.

10. A blank assembly according to claims 8 and 9, in which each fold line is produced by pre-creasing and cutting one face of double-faced corrugated board at spacedapart locations along the fold line.

11. A blank assembly comprising a first blank constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings and at least one second blank constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Container apparatus erected from the blank assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. Container apparatus according to claim 12, comprising a display device for displaying articles of merchandise, e.g. books, at a point of sale.