GB2301090A - Containers formed from blanks - Google Patents

Abstract

A cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container comprises at least one portion (43) preferably defined by respective cuts and creases (7''), arranged to be bent inwardly during erection of the blank (1) to form the container, or thereafter, to define a hand recess. A pair of such bent portions (43) may, in the erected container (2) define a pair of hand recesses providing an integral handle (H) for the container.

Description

PACKAGING This invention concerns packaging and particularly relates to a cut and creased blank, for example formed of fibreboard or other sheet material, capable of being erected by folding to form a container.

It is well known to use a blank of cardboard or other sheet material cut and creased in such a way as to be capable of erection by folding to form a container for wrapping, containing, storing, displaying and/or transporting goods.

The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with that aspect of a container related to transportation and aims to provide a cut and creased blank, and container erected therefrom, having simple and effective means for adapting it to ready transportation by hand.

From a first aspect, the present invention provides a cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank comprising at least one portion, preferably defined by respective cuts and creases, arranged to be bent inwardly during erection of the blank to form the container or thereafter, to define a hand recess.

Preferably, the blank has a pair of such bendable portions which, in the erected container, define a pair of adjacent hand recesses providing an integral handle for the container.

From a second aspect, the present invention provides a cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank having creases defining panels arranged to form respective walls of the container, and comprising at least first and second sidewall panels arranged to form respective sidewalls of the erected container and a topwall panel which is arranged to form a topwall of the erected container and is defined, at least in part, by a pair of generally parallel creases at each of which the topwall panel adjoins a respective one of the sidewall panels, respective portions of the topwall panel and each sidewall panel being defined at least partially by generally parallel cuts which intersect the respective creases, such that, during erection of the blank to form the container or thereafter, the portions are bendable to define respective hand recesses.

Preferably, the recesses are spaced by a hand grip which may include a portion of the topwall panel lying between the other panel portions.

From a third aspect, the present invention provides a cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank having creases defining panels and flaps providing first wall and second wall panels spaced from each other by a third wall panel, there being a common crease extending across the first, third and second wall panels and defining, in association with cuts, at least a first and a second flap at one end of, respectively, the first wall panel and second wall panel; the blank further comprising two portions each comprising part of a respective one of the flaps and part of the respective associated wall panel, each such portion being defined by a pair of generally parallel cuts which intersect the common crease, whereby during erection of the blank by folding to form the container, or thereafter, each portion may be bent to define one of an adjacent pair of hand recesses preferably spaced by a hand grip which can include a part of the first flap and a part of the second flap.

Because each of the two specified portions of the blank is intersected by part of a crease, upon folding of the blank along the crease(s) the specified areas may be pressed inwardly and will eventually snap into position along the relevant parts of the creases in order to form, say, a self-sustaining handle comprised of the hand grip and a hand recess at each side thereof.

In some embodiments this handle further assists in maintaining the container in its erected condition.

Preferably the sheet material of the blank is fibreboard material, for example, corrugated cardboard, although any other suitable material such as corrugated plastics board may be used.

The blank, when fully erected, may form a container which is essentially an open-ended sleeve or, alternatively, may form a container whose panels and flaps define a substantially closed space therewithin.

The invention, from a fourth aspect thereof, provides a container when erected from any form of inventive blank defined above.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a container of sheet material and comprising at least a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a handle, the handle comprising a hand recess formed at an edge region of each of the first and second sidewalls and a hand grip between the hand recesses, each hand recess and its associated portion of the hand grip being formed by an area which has been displaced inwardly from the respective first or second sidewall and another associated portion of the container.

The present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, two currently preferred embodiments of a blank and respective containers formed therefrom, and in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of blank; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a container erected from the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail of a modification of the first embodiment of blank; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a container erected from the blank of Figure 1 embodying the modification of Figure 3; Figure 5 isa plan view of a second embodiment of blank; Figures 6A and 6B show, in perspective, stages of erection of a container erected from the blank of Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows, in perspective view, a container erected from the blank of Figure 5.

A blank 1 of a first embodiment of the present invention, as seen in Figure 1, comprises a first sidewall panel 2, a second sidewall panel 3, a topwall panel 4, and a bottomwall panel 5. These wall panels are connected by respective parallel creases 6, 7 and 8 which extend transversely of the blank 1 and between a pair of parallel creases 9, 10 which extend longitudinally of the blank 1.

Beyond the longitudinal creases 9, 10 and extending in continuation of their respective wall panels 2 to 5, is a pair of flaps 2' to 5', separated by respective cuts 6' to 8' in continuation of the transverse creases 6 to 8. Another transverse crease 11 defines a minor flap 12 at one side edge of the first sidewall panel 2.

The blank 1 further comprises two portions 24, 43 which will form a handle H for a container erected from the blank, as seen in Figure 2.

The portion 24 is at least partially defined by a pair of spaced, parallel cut lines 24' and comprises a portion 43a of the topwall panel 4 and a portion 43 > of the first sidewall panel 2, these portions joining at a part 6'' of the crease 6 between the first sidewall panel 2 and the topwall panel 4.

The portion 43 is at least partially defined by a pair of spaced, parallel cut lines 43' and comprises part of the topwall panel 4 and part of the second sidewall panel 3, these portions 43a, 43b joining at a part 7" of the crease 7 between the second sidewall panel 3 and the topwall panel 4.

During erection of the blank 1 to form the container shown in Figure 2, the wall panels and flaps are appropriately folded about the respective creases 6 to 11 and pressure is exerted upon the two areas 24, 43 to cause them to move inwardly, thereby forming the handle H. Thus, the handle H comprises the two hand recesses, each formed by a respective one of the portions 24, 43 having been bent inwardly to the condition shown in Figure 2, and a portion 4g of the topwall forming part of a hand grip lying between the hand recesses. During formation of each hand recess, the area 24 or 43 will snap into its completed shape along the part 6" or 7" of the relevant crease 6 or 7, simultaneously forming new creases (such as creases 43") extending between the ends of the defining cut lines (such as cut lines 43').

The container thus formed has a first sidewall formed from the first sidewall panel 2, a topwall formed from the topwall panel 4, a second sidewall formed from the second sidewall panel 3, and a bottomwall formed from the bottomwall panel 5. Ends of the container are completed by flaps formed from the flaps 2', 3', 4', and 5'.

In a modification (not shown) the flaps may be omitted, in which case the completed container forms a sleeve.

Figure 3 shows a modification of the blank of the first embodiment, in which each of the specified portions of the blank used to form the handle of the container is defined, not by a pair of parallel cut lines as in Figures 1 and 2, but by a pair of generally parallel cut lines 30 each comprising two non-aligned linear portions 30', 30'' which join at the fold line F (corresponding to either one of the creases 6, 7 of Figures 1 and 2), the internal angle A between the cut portions 30', 30'' being between 90" and 180', preferably about 120'.

The handle H of the container erected from a blank embodying this modification, as shown in Figure 4, is generally similar to that shown in Figure 2 but is of slightly more open form whilst retaining the essential characteristics of a pair of hand recesses spaced by a hand grip as described above.

A blank 101 of the second embodiment of the present invention, as seen in Figure 5, is generally similar to the blank 1 of the first embodiment and comprises a first sidewall panel 202, a second sidewall panel 303, a third sidewall panel 404 and a fourth sidewall panel 505. These wall panels are defined by respective parallel creases which extend transversely of the blank 101 and between a pair of parallel creases (including the crease 9) which extend longitudinally of the blank 101 in similar manner to the corresponding creases 6 to 10 of the blank 1 of the first embodiment.

Similarly, there are pairs of flaps 202', 303', 404' and 505' in continuation of the respective wall panels 202 to 505 and separated by respective cuts in continuation of the transverse fold lines as in the blank 1 of the first embodiment.

The blank 101 further comprises two portions 22, 33 which will form a handle H for the container erected from the blank, as best seen in Figure 7.

The portion 22 is defined by a pair of spaced, parallel lines 22' and comprises a portion of the flap 202' and a portion of the first sidewall panel 202, these portions joining at a part 9' of the crease 9 extending longitudinally adjacent that side of the blank.

The portion 33 is defined by a pair of spaced, parallel lines 33' and comprises a part 33a of the flap 303' and a part 33b of the second sidewall panel 303, these parts 33a, 33b joining at a part 9'' of the fold line 9.

During erection of the blank 101 to form the container shown in Figure 7, the wall panels and flaps are appropriately folded about the respective transverse and longitudinal creases and, as shown diagrammatically in Figures 6A and 6B, pressure is exerted upon the two portions 22, 33 in the direction of the arrows P seen in Figure 6A, to cause them to bend inwardly forming the handle H. The handle H comprises the two hand recesses, each formed by a respective one of the portions 22, 33 having been bent inwardly to the condition shown in Figures 6B and 7, and adjacent portions of the respective flaps 202', 303' forming part of a hand grip lying between the hand recesses.

During formation of each hand recess, the portion 22 or 33 will snap into its completed shape along the part 9' or 9" of the fold line 9, simultaneously forming new creases (such as creases 33") extending between the ends of the defining cut lines (such as cut lines 33').

The container thus formed has a first sidewall formed from the first sidewall panel 202, a second sidewall formed from the second sidewall panel 303, an intervening third sidewall formed from the third sidewall panel 404, and a fourth sidewall formed from the fourth sidewall panel 505. Ends of the container are completed by flaps formed from the flaps 202', 303', 404' and 505'.

In a modification (not shown), one set of such flaps at that side of the blank opposite the side having the handle-forming structures may be omitted, in which case the completed container forms a sleeve having an open bottom.

If desired, the modification described with reference to Figure 3 may equally be applied to the blank 101 of this second embodiment.

The blank of the present invention is easy to manufacture and may be stored completed unfolded and flat, as shown in Figures 1 and 5; or, alternatively, may be folded along the transverse creases, secured in known manner by means of the minor flap 12 and then flattened by folding about the transverse creases so as to be stored in a folded-flat condition from which it may quickly and easily be unfolded to its normal, three-dimensional shape, during which operation the hand recesses and hand grip will be formed by inward pressure on the two defined portions 24, 43 or 22, 33 in the manner described in detail above.

The container so erected affords a robust, yet simple handle which is both comfortable for a user to grip and of sufficient strength and rigidity to enable the container and any goods therein to be transported easily and safely.

The invention is not limited to the particular details described above, and its scope extends to all such modifications as fall within the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. A cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank comprising at least one portion, preferably defined by respective cuts and creases, arranged to be bent inwardly during erection of the blank to form the container, or thereafter, to define a hand recess.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of said bendable portions which, in the erected container, define a pair of adjacent hand recesses providing an integral handle for the container.

3. A cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank having creases defining panels arranged to form respective walls of the container, and comprising at least first and second sidewall panels arranged to form respective sidewalls of the erected container and a topwall panel which is arranged to form a topwall of the erected container and is defined, at least in part, by a pair of generally parallel creases at each of which the topwall panel adjoins a respective one of the sidewall panels, respective portions of the topwall panel and each sidewall panel being defined at least partially by generally parallel cuts which intersect the respective creases, such that, during erection of the blank to form the container or thereafter, the portions are bendable to define respective hand recesses.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recesses are spaced by a hand grip which includes a portion of the topwall panel lying between the other panel portions.

5. A cut and creased blank of sheet material erectable into a container, the blank having creases defining panels and flaps providing first wall and second wall panels spaced from each other by a third wall panel, there being a common crease extending across the first, third and second wall panels and defining, in association with cuts, at least a first and a second flap at one end of, respectively, the first wall panel and second wall panel; the blank further comprising two portions each comprising part of a respective one of the flaps and part of the respective associated wall panels, each such portion being defined by a pair of generally parallel cuts which intersect the common crease, whereby during erection of the blank by folding to form the container, or thereafter, each portion may bent to define one of an adjacent pair of hand recesses.

6. A blank as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjacent pair of hand recesses are spaced by a hand grip which includes a part of the first flap and a part of the second flap.

7. A blank as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the so-formed handle further assists in maintaining the erected container in its erected condition.

8. A blank as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet material is fibreboard material, for example, corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastics board.

9. A blank as claimed in any preceding claim which when fully erected, forms a container which is essentially an open-ended sleeve or a container whose panels and flaps define a substantially closed space therewithin.

10. A container when erected from a blank as claimed in any preceding claim.

11. A container of sheet material, comprising at least a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a handle, the handle comprising a hand recess formed at an edge region of each of the first and second sidewalls and a hand grip between the hand recesses, each hand recess and its associated portion of the hand grip being formed by an area which has been displaced inwardly from the respective first or second sidewall and another associated portion of the container.

12. A blank erectable into a container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.