Lidded container with a tear strip

(54) Title: BOX FOR PACKING AND STORING A QUANTITY OF SHEETS OF CUT PAPER, BLANQUE

TO FORM THE CASE COVER AND COVER TO BE PLACED ON THE OPEN END OF THE CASE (51) Int. Cl .: B65D 5/46; B65D 5/72; B65D 5/66; B65D 5/32; B65D 85/62; (...) (30) Unionist Priority: 10/04/2007 US 60 / 922,633 (73) Holder (s): INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY (72) Inventor (s): TIMOTHY J. JUSTICE (74) Attorney (s) : ANTONIO MAURÍCIO PEDRAS ARNAUD (86) International Application: PCT US2008004698 of 10/04/2008 (87) International Publication: WO

2008/124193 of 10/16/2008

<img file="BRPI0809794A2_D0001.tif" />

BOX TO PACK AND STORE A QUANTITY OF SLICED SHEETS OF PAPER, BLANK TO FORM THE LID PORTION OF THE BOX AND COVER TO BE PLACED ON THE OPEN END OF THE BOX.

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a cardboard box (paperboard carton) for shipping, storage, and handling a plurality of items, such as, for example, paper products. More particularly, the invention relates to a box for packing and storing sheets of cut paper, which box must be of a size and weight that provide easy handling and storage, and a shear strip that facilitates access to the paper . The box must still be resealable, to keep the unused part of the paper properly protected and properly stacked, and still providing a carrying handle to facilitate the transport of the box.

History of the Invention

Sheets of paper cut into sheets, for copying or printing, are typically grouped into reams, each ream covering, for example, 500 sheets. In addition, it is common to group and pack a plurality of reams, and to use a corrugated box for packaging, storage, and handling. For example, it is common to group 5 to 10 reams of paper in a single box, for shipping and handling. As a single ream of paper weighs about 5 pounds, boxes containing 5 to 10 reams are heavy and difficult to handle. In addition, these boxes are relatively large and require substantial storage space. In addition, reams of paper are compressed between the walls of the box, resulting in the lack of space between the reams and the box making it difficult to remove the reams from the box for use. In addition, each ream must be opened individually to access the sheets, and in addition, the ream packaging, once opened, is discarded. Reams are usually arranged for sale of reams individually, and although such packages are easy to handle and pack, these packages do not adequately protect the paper from physical damage. In addition, most equipment found in offices and homes does not support an entire stack of paper. Thus, after the ream has been opened, and the desired amount of paper has been removed, the amount of paper remaining in the ream is unprotected.

Many small users, whether home or small offices or stores, prefer to buy a quantity of reams of paper at once, rather than individual reams each time. The packages were developed for five reams, which, therefore, are heavy and suitable for commercial and industrial buyers, who typically have equipment suitable for forklifts and / or pallets. who intend to buy several only once, does not count on such handling, such as, A typical average user of reams of paper from an equipment.

Unpacked sheets of cut paper are sometimes loosely arranged in boxes designed to accommodate sheets of paper and protect them from damage. Loose sheets of paper do not require the removal and disposal of packaging, but boxes of this type usually contain five or ten reams of paper and are therefore heavy and difficult to handle and pack. In addition, these boxes usually have removable lids or foldable flaps, which requires removing the lid or opening the flaps to access the sheets of paper. But this type of box makes it very difficult to remove the sheets of paper without damaging it, or in addition, and it may even be necessary to turn it upside down to unload its contents, due to the impossibility of using your hands due to the lack of space between the side walls of the box and the sheets of paper stored inside.

It is common to include tear strips in corrugated boxes, as described above. In use, the tear strip is pulled at one end, being detached from a panel of the corrugated box. In many cases, removing the tear strip allows you to turn the lid to open the box. In other cases, more than one tear strip can be used to completely remove a portion of the box (US Patents No.^the 6,422,454; 3,863,834; 7,140,493; 5,487,506; 3,831,834; 3,712,531; and US Publications^the 2005/0051573; 2004/0232039, 2003/0234284, 2003/0116613, 2002/0166889). In general, the tear strip comprises a pair of cut lines, arranged along the length or transversely to a panel. The tear strip has an ear on one end, which the user must pull up and forward to remove the strip from the panel. Generally, when the user opens the box or packaging with a tear strip, occasionally the tear strip can break, making the box look bad, which can become inconvenient if the intention is to reuse or leave it. it in sight. Often, the tear strip starts at an outer layer of the cardboard and breaks at an angle along the box or packaging.

Therefore, it is desired to provide a box or packaging having tear strips, which overcomes the above mentioned problem, and which is aesthetically pleasing, and where the removal of the tear strip allows the corrugated box lid to be articulated and the box to be opened.

It is also desired to provide a box for packing and storing sheets of paper, for example, sheets of paper for use in photocopying and printing, which is not only smaller and lighter than conventional multi-ream boxes and therefore easier to handling and packaging, but also a box that adequately protects the sheets of paper against physical or environmental damage.

We also want to provide a box that allows quick and easy unloading of the sheets of paper, and the box, moreover, must be adapted to remain sealed during shipping, handling, and storage, without the need for other means, such as tapes and films moorings and the like, and the box must be closed after opening.

In addition, the box must incorporate an additional component (carrying handle) to facilitate its handling. The combination of a smaller multi-ream box plus this carrying handle, for example, is ideal for retail sales to small and medium users.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a solution for increasing tear strips that are used to open corrugated boxes. Using a series of cutting lines strategically, which is positioned along the path of the tear strip, the user can effectively control the direction of the cut, and prevent tearing of the tear strip.

The main advantage of slanted cut lines is the improvement of the visual characteristics of the box / package, after the box / package has been opened using a tear strip. The use of inclined cut lines controls the cutting direction, maintaining the cut direction longitudinal to the tear strip, rather than across the box. The use of slanted cut lines allows the cut to proceed in a predictable manner, producing a good looking edge, and without affecting the structural integrity of the box / packaging.

The present invention provides a package having a box-shaped main body portion, and a lid sized and configured to fit over the upper end of the main body. The side walls of the box fit over the corresponding side walls of the main body and are glued to it, such as by adhesive or tape. A side wall of the cover includes a tear strip defined by two cut lines, which run along the length of the middle part of the side wall panel. One end of the tear strip includes an ear for the user to pick up. Alternatively, a tear strip can be provided on additional side walls of the lid.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a box with a lid to be used to pack, store and handle a plurality of items, such as, for example, prepackaged reams of sheets of paper, without using tapes, bands, films, etc.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a box with a lid, where the lid is fixed by the upper end of the main body of the box without using tapes, films, etc.

The present invention comprises a box for packaging and storing sheets of cut paper, which contains a smaller amount of sheets than conventional packaging, therefore, resulting in light and easy to handle and store. The box is built to give easy access to its contents, which allows you to download it easily, being particularly adapted to pack and store sheets of paper, although it can also be adapted for

<td>pack and store individually.</td><td>reams</td><td>in</td><td>leaves of</td><td>paper</td><td>packaged</td>

<td>The box includes a</td><td>portion</td><td>in</td><td>base, that</td><td>can</td><td>articulated</td>

<td colspan="2">down to open the</td><td colspan="2">box and expose</td><td colspan="2">its content, and</td>

fitted over the base portion to close the top of the box, and normally keep the side wall hinged in the closed position. When the lid is opened, that side wall can be folded down to the closed position. When the lid is opened, that side wall can be folded down to expose the sheets of paper from above and from the side, facilitating access to them.

The openable side wall allowing the user to easily and quickly access, pick up, and unload the paper from inside the box, without having to insert their hands or fingers between the side wall of the box and its contents, or even turning the box over. upside down to dump your content. In addition, the lid and side that can be opened are resealable, in order to protect the paper that remains in the box.

In a preferred configuration, the box of the invention incorporates a carrying handle, which is adapted to support more than one ream of paper, but less than five or ten reams, as normally used in conventional packaging. For example, the box of the present invention is adapted to support about three reams of paper, resulting in a light and easy to handle packaging. However, it is not intended to limit the invention to a box for three reams of paper. The box can also be adapted to any number of sheets of paper, but, however, remaining limited to an amount that is easy to handle and store, and in addition, it has a reliable carrying handle, which generally supports an amount that does not substantially exceed three reams. After the box has been opened, the user can simply pick up and unload as many sheets of paper as he wishes, without having to open a stack of paper each time, and the box must still be re-closed to keep unused sheets of paper protected. .

In a preferred construction, the base portion comprises a base wall, walls of opposite ends, and front and rear walls, the walls folded from a single cardboard blanket. End flaps on the rear wall are folded inward and attached to the end walls by means of adhesive (or other suitable fastening means), so that the back wall and the end wall remain in an upright position. End flaps or snaps to the front wall are folded inwards, but not attached to the side walls. Instead, the end or snap tabs fit between the end walls between the volume of paper contained in the box, where the front wall flips down to open the front of the box. After the desired number of sheets of paper have been removed from the box, the front wall can be pivoted back to the vertical position, where it fits between the end walls and the sheets of paper, closing the box.

The lid portion comprises a lid folded from a single blanket, with insert sheet and carrying handle mounted. The cover has an upper wall from which end flanges, front and rear flanges hang. The pendant front flange comprises a tearing strip defined by two successive parallel rows of slanted cut lines. The slanted cut lines are of length K and are spaced apart by a distance D. The D / K ratio is in the range between 1: 2 and 4: 1. The rear flange has end flaps at opposite ends, which are pivoted inwards, to be placed inside and parallel to the end flanges, but not attached to them. In the assembled box, the rear flange of the lid and the associated flaps are glued with adhesive and other means, respectively, to the rear wall and the end walls of the base portion. 0 front flange of the cover has a width extending downwardly over a top edge portion of the base portion of the front wall of the base portion to secure the front wall in the closed vertical position when the cover is in its closed position. End flaps arranged at opposite ends of the front flange are pivoted inwardly to lie in and parallel to the end flanges, and are attached to the end flanges by adhesive, or another means of attachment. A glue strip on the lower edge of the front flange of the cover is fixed by adhesive (or any other suitable means) to the front wall of the base portion and a tear strip extends along the base edge of the front flange between the front flange and the glue strip. With this construction, when the tear strip is removed, the lid is opened, and exposes the sheets of paper, which are discovered by the front wall, which is hinged downwards for easy access to the sheets of paper.

The carrying handle is attached to the lid to facilitate transport of the box, and comprises a flexible strip attached to a base plate under an insert panel placed on the lid between the top wall of the lid and the top sheets of paper. The flexible strip extends through openings aligned in the insert panel and top wall of the cover. The insert panel can be made of corrugated or plywood, or other material. The box of the invention can be opened to give access to the stack of paper inside, and can be resealed to protect the amount of unused paper. The box does not require glue fixing between the cover and the base, or any separate fixing means, such as tapes or strips to secure the cover to the base. In addition, the box should preferably contain more than one ream of paper, up to three, (due to weight and size limitations) in addition to providing a carrying handle, which produces a box that is easy to transport and store. Brief Description of Drawings

To facilitate its understanding, reference is made to the following description, in connection with the attached drawings, in which the same reference numbers refer to similar parts, where:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blanque, from which the base of the box is formed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blanket, from which the cover is formed;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the insert sheet, used to mount the carrying handle on the cover;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lid in an inverted position, hinged upside down;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lid and carrying handle of the box of the invention;

Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the base portion of the box of the invention, where the lid has been omitted and the front wall partially hinged to the open position;

Figure 7A is a top perspective view of a preferred package, constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 7B is similar to figure 7A, showing the partially open opening mechanism;

Figure 8 is a top perspective view of the package in Figure 7, showing the tear strip removed and the lid folded up, with the movable front wall folded to a partially opened position, the box containing unrolled sheets of paper. ;

Figure 9 is a top perspective view of the package of Figure 8, with the lid hinged to the fully open position and the movable front wall hinged downwards;

Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the package of Figure 9, with the lid and the front wall back to the closed position; and

Figure 11 is a plan view of the inclined cut lines of the arrangement in two adjacent parallel spaced rows, through which a pair of opening strips operable in opposite opening directions is defined, respectively.

Detailed Description of Settings

The box according to the invention is usually indicated with reference number 10 in the drawings. The box comprises a base portion 14, opposite end walls 15 and 16, a rear wall 17, a movable front wall 18, with the top part open 19. The lid 12 is telescopically received from the top part open, and has top wall 20, hanging end flanges 21 and 22, rear flange hanging 23, and front flange hanging 24. A glue strip 25 is attached to the base edge of the front flange to secure the front of the cover to the front wall of the base portion. A tear strip 26 extends between the front flange and the glue strip to separate the front flange from the glue strip, and allows the cover to pivot upward. The construction and use of the tear strip 26 will be described in detail. Construction details of the base portion 11 can be seen with reference to figures 1 to 6. Blanque Bl, for making the base portion 11, as shown in figure 1, and comprises a base wall panel 14, opposite end wall panels 15 and 16, foldably attached to a rear end of the base wall panel, and the movable front wall panel 18 foldably connected to the front edge of the base wall panel. The glue tabs 27 and 28 are foldably attached to the opposite ends of the rear wall panel, and the locking tabs 29 and 30 are foldably attached to the opposite ends of the front wall panel.

The assembly of the base portion 11, as best seen in figure 6. The glue tabs on the rear wall 17 are folded inward and glued (or otherwise) suitably attached to the inner surface of the respective end walls 15 and 16, but the tabs 29 and 30 at opposite ends of the front wall 18 are merely folded inward against the inner surface of the end walls. The locking tabs slide along the end walls between the end walls and the volume of paper in the box when the front wall 18 moves from the vertical to the hinged-down position. The locking tabs can be properly shaped, ie with a curved free end edge 31 (as shown), to facilitate their fit in the space between the end walls and the paper, when the front wall is taken to the closed vertical position. A finger access cutout 32 is provided at the top edge of the front wall 18, to facilitate its downward movement, if desired.

Constructive details of the lid portion 12 can be better seen with reference to figures 2 to 5. Blanking B2 to form the lid 12, as shown in figure 2, and comprises a top wall panel 20, end flange panels 21 and 22, foldably attached to the opposite ends of the top wall panel, top flange panel 23, foldably connected along the fold line L to a rear edge of the top wall, and front flange panel 24 foldably connected along a front edge of the top wall panel. The adhesive strip panel 25 is connected to the free edge of the front flange panel by the tear strip 26, which extends between the front flange and the adhesive strip, to separate the front flange from the adhesive strip. First, the glue tabs 33 and 34 are foldably connected to the opposite ends of the front flange panel 24, and then the glue tabs 35 and 36 are foldable to the opposite ends of the rear flange panel 23. A properly shaped opening 37 is generally formed through the center of the top wall panel, to receive the carrying handle 13, as will be described below.

As best shown in figure 4, the first glue tabs 33 and 34 at opposite ends of the front flange panel 24 are fixed by adhesive (or any other suitable means) against the inner surface of the respective end flanges 21 and 22, but, however, the second glue tabs 35 and 36 are merely folded inward, parallel to the end flanges, and are not attached to them. A strip of adhesive 38 is applied along the base edge of the rear flange panel 23 and the base edge of the second glue tabs 35 and 36, to affix these parts to the rear wall and the end walls, respectively, of the portion base when the cover is mounted to the base. The adhesive strip is glued with adhesive to the front base wall and with the adhesive strip 38 comprises the only adhesive fixation of the cover to the base portion. This allows the cover to turn upwards around the fold line L, when removing the tear strip, to separate the front flange from the tear strip cover (figure 8). That is, the end flanges 21 and 22, when released from the second glue tabs 35 and 36, slide along the glue tabs, and do not resist upward movement of the lid when the lid is raised. Referring to figures 7A and 7B, and 11, the front flange panel 24 includes two successive rows of successive sloping lines 56 running along the length, generally parallel to the fold line L. The two successive rows of inclined section 56 are parallel and separated by a distance (C), as shown in figure 11. The distance (C) varies in the range of 0.25 to 1.5, depending on the configuration of the inclined cut lines 56, but in the preferred configuration, (C) is 0.75. The slanted cut lines 24 are spaced apart by a distance (D). Each inclined cut line 56 includes a length (K), in relation to a perforation angle to the center line 64. Depending on the length (K) and distance (D), the oi angle varies accordingly. The angle α can be 30 °, 35 °, 40 °, 50 °, but in the configuration that is the oi position, with respect

5 ', as will be the invention, the preferred one of the invention, the angle oi is described in more detail below. In the inventor, moreover, he discovered that for an optimal cut, the length (K) must be twice the distance D (ie,, D = 2K), so that the tear strip 26 separates from box 10, without affecting the front flange panel 24. In other words, the preferred D / K ratio is 2: 1. But, the D / K ratio can vary with the oi angle, and range in the range of 1: 2 to 4: 1. The D / K ratio can vary with the oi angle, and range from 2: 1 to 3: 1. The D / K ratio can vary with angle a, and range from 1: 1 to 2: 1. Referring to figure 11, it should be noted that if the drilling angle a is positive, then the cutting direction must be from left to right. Conversely, if the drilling angle a is negative, then the cutting direction must be from right to left. Inclined cut lines 56 are conventional, and preferably completely section the front flange panel 24, although one or more of the inclined cut lines 56 may not extend across the thickness of the front flange panel 24, but instead section only partially the thickness. Although not shown, the slanted cut lines 56 can extend to circle the box 10 and allow complete removal of the cut portion of the box 10, as desired. The slanted cut lines cooperate to define the tear strip 26, where one end of the tear strip 26 includes a pull ear 568 for the user to pick up, as will be described in detail below. The tear strip 26 is placed close to the center line of the front flange panel 24. Particularly, with reference to figure 7B, which illustrates the tear strip 26, according to a preferred configuration of the present invention. The tear strip 26 is defined at each of its side edges 58 by a plurality of slanted cut lines 56. The cutting direction being indicated by an arrow. The tear strip 26 has an ear 22 at one end, to be pulled up and forward by the user, as indicated by the arrow, to remove the tear strip 26 from the front flange panel 24. The tear strip 26 comprises at least two substantially parallel rows of slanted cut lines 56, which extend along the front flange panel 24. Each inclined cut line 56 comprises a start end 60 and an end end 62, where the end end 62 of a cut line 56 spatially relates to the start end 60 of the adjacent cut line 56, whereby a cut initiated at the end end 62 of the cut line 56 ends at the end end 60 of the adjacent cut line 56 in the cutting direction, as shown by the arrow.

While not adhering to any particular theory, it is believed that the angle of the sloped cutting line 56 with respect to the center line 64 has an effect on the extent to which the cutting started at the end end 62 of the cutting line 56 end at the start end 60 of the adjacent cutting line 56 in the cutting direction and, as a result, the extent to which the front flange panel 24 is broken or damaged. Therefore, the angle of the cut line 56 with respect to the center line can vary widely, still providing the desired results. In the preferred configuration, the angle of the slanted cut lines is 45 ° to the center line 64. The 45 ° angled cutting line results from the tear strip moving in the cutting direction without breaking or damaging the front flange panel 24, compared to configurations in which the angle of the inclined cutting lines 56 is greater or less than 45 °. However, depending on the design of the tear strip, other angles, such as 25 °, 30 °, 35 °, 40 °, and 50 °, are included in the scope of the invention. In general, it should be appreciated that the practice of the present invention is not limited to the 45 ° angle, and, depending on the situation, the slanted cut lines 56 can take on any value, as long as the strip design so permits.

In use, when the tear strip 26 is pulled from the front flange panel 42, the cutting portions readily separate. When the tear strip 26 is pulled, a pulling force is applied to the portion of the front flange panel 24 in addition to the respective start and end ends 60, 62 of each slanted cut line 56, and the tear strip 26 is removed. In this regard, the end end portion of each cut line 56 is sectioned towards the next cut line 56. At the same time, it is noted that the start end 60 of the next following cut line, for the line on which the cut started, was reached by the tear strip 26 in the cutting direction, so that no cutting force is required to the next next cut line 56, when tearing strip 26 is pulled, and substantially all the pulling force is applied to the start of cutting at the end end 62 of the cutting line. The cut advances and ends along the edge substantially similar to the edge 58, in normal cutting condition, when the cardboard shears backwards.

After the tear strip 26 has been removed from the front flange panel 24, the lid 12 can be hinged around the opposite side wall panel 22 of the box 10, thereby exposing the open upper end of the main body portion 14, so that the items contained in the box can be removed. The lid 12 can be returned over the open upper end of the main body portion 11, hence re-closing the box 10 to protect unused items, as in figure 10. Optionally, if a tear strip has been provided on both side wall panels of the box, the lid 12 can be removed entirely from the main body portion 11, as is obvious to those skilled in the art, after a thorough reading of it.

As best shown in figure 5, the carrying handle 13 includes a flexible strip 40, affixed to a rectangular base plate 41, which in turn is glued with adhesive to the base of an insert sheet 42, which has been sized to fits on the lid under the top wall, the strip extending through an opening 43 in the sheet 42 and through an opening 17 in the top wall of the lid. The sheet 42 can be glued to the part under the top wall of the cover, or merely fit the cover between the top wall and the sheets of paper, without, however, being affixed to the top wall. Either way, this construction provides a very strong carrying handle.

As shown in figures 7 to 10, the package is compact, and can be conveniently placed under a table or on a shelf. The packaging is opened by simply removing the tear strip and pivoting the lid upwards, after which the front wall can be pivoted downwards to access the sheets of paper contained within. After removing the desired amount of sheets of paper, the front wall can return to the vertical position, fitting the flaps between the base end walls and the volume of paper inside the box, and the cover returns to the lowered position , to close the package and keep the front wall in the closed position. While the present invention has been shown for the purpose of containing and storing unpackaged sheets of paper, it should be understood that it could also be used to contain reams of prepackaged cut paper, and although the preferred configuration here includes three reams of paper, the box could also be sized for other quantities, as long as its dimensions and weight do not exceed a certain value (such as 20 pounds) to allow easy handling and transport, using a carrying handle.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the present specification, it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made to it without losing its spirit and intention, which are defined only by the scope of the claims that follow.