MC2466A1 - Deployable box for pastries and cakes made in a blank cut in one piece - Google Patents

Description

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WRITTEN MEMOIR

Filed in support of an application for: PATENT OF INVENTION

Trained by Mr. Frédéric ITEY

For :

Deployable box for pastries and cakes, made from a single piece of cut flan.

PRIORITY: FRANCE No. 96.11082 OF SEPTEMBER 11, 1996

Inventors: Frédérie ITEY

of French nationality if

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The present invention relates to a deployable box for pastries, cakes or equivalent products, allowing the products to be placed and removed from the box in a position at least partially deployed flat, cora-5 having a base bordered on each side by flaps which, once joined, form the peripheral surround and the top of the box, also constituting a means of gripping, the whole being cut from a blank of cardboard or similar material, in one piece.

10. We know of many types of folding boxes,

manufactured by cardboard makers and flattened for delivery to the user. Traditional pastry boxes are a particularly good example. These boxes consist of a single unit made up of a base bordered by three sides; the rear edge supports the lid. To flatten them, the sides of the base and the sides of the lid are folded along creases.

These pastry boxes, used for decades, have the advantage of being able to be laid flat and unfolded to hold the products for sale. Thanks to their walls and the way the walls are glued together on the different sides, when unfolded, these boxes are rigid enough to be tied with a ribbon and carried by holding the ribbon. However, these boxes have several drawbacks, the most serious being the height of the sides or even the lack of sides at the bottom. Indeed, to place products, especially fragile items like pastries, into such a box, they must be lifted with tongs and slid in from the top, as the sides do not allow for flat insertion.

The same problem occurs upon unpacking.

We also know of a box according to document FR 88 13 968 of 26.10.88 which describes a very interesting box 35 which corresponds to the type defined above and which resists to some extent crushing.

However, in many cases, it is not imperative that the box be crush-resistant because it does not work

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that in "traction" since either it rests on a surface (table, counter, etc.) or it is held by hand placed on its base or suspended, taken by the gripping tabs.

5. Since this box must withstand compression,

Its structure is relatively complicated and its assembly requires some education from the users.

Finally, there is a type of pastry packaging called a "package-monté." This consists of a square cardboard base that holds the pastries and is surrounded by a sheet forming a pyramidal envelope, secured underneath with adhesive tape. The top of this pyramidal shape is capped and then tied with a ribbon to hang the package.

15. Creating this packaging requires a lot of skill.

It is also relatively expensive because of the large amount of paper it requires.

The present invention aims to remedy these 20 disadvantages and proposes to create a box for receiving and transporting fragile products such as pastries, cakes or products for which it is desirable to be able to open or flatten the box when placing or removing the products, and which is not bulky, light and above all very easy to close and open.

To this end, the invention relates to a box of the type defined above, characterized in that:

- the background is quadrilateral in shape,

30 - the sides of the base continue with two main flaps and two auxiliary flaps, respectively associated with two opposite sides of the base by a fold line,

- the shutters are without folding and their width increases from the back side, their edge having a convex shape, to di-

35 minutes back towards the end,

- the main flaps continue with a locking and gripping tab connected to the flap by a folding line,

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- the auxiliary shutters being fitted with a longitudinal slot in their end to receive the tabs of the main shutters when the latter are joined by their tabs,

- the auxiliary flaps curve against the edges of the main flaps, resting against them and hooking by their slot onto the tabs.

The box according to the invention, the base of which has the shape of a quadrilateral, that is to say, a rhombus or a parallelogram, particularly a rectangle or a square, is presented 10 in a very simple manner and is assembled just as simply. It is enough to lift the two main flaps and hold them together by their tab, then to bend one of the auxiliary flaps against the edge of the two main flaps; then the end of the auxiliary flap with its slot is passed over the two tabs and the auxiliary flap is thus hooked so that the whole retains its shape.

The assembly is completed by closing the other auxiliary flap, naturally curving it against the opposite edge of the two main flaps and passing its end with its slot over the two already assembled tabs in the same way.

The packaging is then complete and it holds itself together, partly due to the elasticity of the two main flaps which do not have a fold line and whose curvature is continuous and flexible, between the corresponding edge of the bottom of the box and the fold line connecting the flap to the tab; this line is located in the assembly plane.

Depending on the shape of the quadrilateral constituting the bottom of the box and the resulting shape of the flaps, the fold line between the tab and the flap, which is always located in the assembly plane, can be parallel or inclined relative to the fold line connecting the flap to the bottom when the flap is flat.

35 According to the invention, the auxiliary flaps envelop the edges of the main flaps in the assembled position and extend beyond these edges. Due to the elasticity of the assembly, the main flaps tend to lift the

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tabs and auxiliary flaps, hooked on either side of the two joined tabs, are stretched; an optimal shape is established in which the auxiliary flaps almost perfectly close the contour defined by the main flaps 5 in the assembled position.

It should be noted that the main flaps work in compression relative to the auxiliary flaps. Since the main flaps do not remain flat but form a ruled surface which, in the case of a parallelogram-shaped bottom, is a cylindrical surface whose generatrices are parallel to the fold line between the flap and the bottom; this constitutes a means of rigid spacing or bracing against which the auxiliary flaps can rest.

The auxiliary flaps work in tension and 15 they are stretched in their minimum length position by the elasticity effect created by the main flaps which tend to lift the tabs.

The whole forms a very coherent construction, which remains rigid when the box is in the suspended position, 20 i.e. held by the tabs.

When the box is in place, the elasticity of the main flaps prevents the box from sagging. The attachment of the auxiliary flaps to the tabs creates a slight compression effect to tension the main flaps. 25 Following other advantageous features:

- the quadrilateral in the background is a parallelogram and, in particular, a rectangle and especially a square;

- the tabs are equipped with corresponding holes.

30 The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a partially assembled deployable box,

35 - Figure 2 shows the box from Figure 1 in the closed position,

- Figure 3 is a plan view of a die-cut blank for a fold-out box, in the case of a base shaped like

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square,

- Figure 4 shows the folding of the blank from Figure 3 along a diagonal of the base,

- Figures 5 to 7 schematically show the three stages of closing the box,

- Figure 5 shows the first stage of joining the two main sections,

- Figure 6 shows the closure of one of the auxiliary flaps on the two main flaps,

10 - Figure 7 shows the closure of the second auxiliary flap on the main flaps and the other auxiliary flap already in place,

- Figure 8 is a side view of the box in Figure 7 (left view).

15 According to Figures 1 and 2, the invention relates to a deployable box intended to receive and transport fragile products such as pastries, cakes or products requiring similar handling and precautions.

20 This box is intended to be filled in a flat or partially deployed position and to offer or present the products, upon opening, also in at least a partially deployed position.

Figure 1 shows such a partially deployed position 25 or position before complete closure, while Figure 2 shows the box in the closed position.

The box, made by cutting out a blank of flexible cardboard or similar material, consists of a base 1 bordered by two main flaps 2, 3 and two auxiliary flaps 4, 5.

In general, background 1 has the shape of a quadrilateral, such as a parallelogram. More specifically, the background has the shape of a rectangle, and in particular, a square.

The main panels 2, 3 and auxiliary panels 4, 5, 35 are connected to the bottom by hinge lines 6, 7, 8, 9.

As shown in Figure 3, in the specific case of a square-shaped base 1, the main and auxiliary flaps have a shape that flares out from side 6,

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7, 8, 9 from the bottom to reach a certain width and then decrease again towards the end.

In figure 3, the sides of the bottom quadrilateral 1 have lengths (a) and (al) and the largest dimension of the 5 flaps corresponds to (b), (bl).

In other words, the edges 21 of the flap 2 have a convex curvature which decreases again towards the end 22.

The same applies to the edges 41 of the flap 4 which have a convex shape 10 to decrease again towards the end 42.

The same remarks apply to the other sections.

3 and 5.

Moreover, generally speaking, the main panels 2 and 3 have an identical or at least homologous shape, and the same is true of the auxiliary panels 4 and 5. In the case of a background 1 in the shape of a parallelogram, and particularly of a rectangle or square, the main panels and the auxiliary panels are identical in pairs. In the case of a quadrilateral that is not a parallelogram, the panels have homologous shapes obtained, as it were, by flattening or "tilting" the shape shown in plan view in Figure 3.

In the case of a background 1 consisting of a quadrilateral or a non-rectangular parallelogram, the widths b, bl are always measured parallel to the articulation line 25 6, 7, 8, 9, between the flaps 2, 3, 4, 5 and the background 1.

The curvatures 21, 31, 41, 51 of the edges of the shutters are convex in the part located on the bottom side, to end towards the end with a decreasing shape (this can also be done following a con-30 vexe curve).

The main flaps 2, 3 are terminated by a tab 10, 11 connected to the main flap 2, 3 by a hinge line 12, 13.

The auxiliary flaps 4, 5 are provided at the level of 35 their end 42, 52, with a slot 14, 15 to cover and receive the tabs 10, 11 in the joined position.

Finally, the base 1 is preferably equipped with a folding line 16 which allows the cut blank to be folded to create

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Reduce the bulk as shown in Figure 4. (Figure 4 only shows half of the folded blank; the other half is not shown.) This other half consists of the main flap 2 and the auxiliary flap 4.

5 The folding line 16 subdivides the background 1 into two triangles 1A, 1B.

The flaps 10, 11 are each equipped with a hole 17, 18 facilitating gripping and able to receive a tie or the tail of a label.

10 It should be noted that, as will become apparent, when the main flaps 2 and 3 are closed, the tabs 10 and 11 are pressed against each other, forming a cylindrical or tubular surface that stiffens the base 1, which can then no longer bend along line 16. 15 The assembly, which will be described in more detail, will be shown below.

cut using figures 5, 6, 7, also appears in the perspective views of figures 1 and 2.

Before the packaging is closed, the user generally receives the folded blanks as shown in Figure 4. From this position, the assembly is unfolded and laid flat. Once the products are placed on the base 1, the tabs 10 and 11 of the main flaps 2 and 3 are joined, necessarily bending flaps 2 and 3 as they are lowered. This movement changes flaps 2 and 3 from their flat to a curved shape.

Then, we take one of the auxiliary flaps, for example flap 4, which we pull against the edges 21, 31 of the main flaps to slide it with its slot 14 over the tabs 10, 11 to bring the edge of the slot 14 30 behind the opposite end of the tabs 10, 11 which constitutes a kind of hook 101, 102.

This setup is done by slightly crushing the main flaps 2, 3, to gain length.

In this closed position, the auxiliary flap 4 rests against the edges 21, 31 of the flaps 2, 3, that is to say, it protrudes from the contours 21, 31 by its convex part corresponding to the convex curvature 41.

The implementation of the other auxiliary component 5

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done in the same way, by sliding its slot 15 over the flaps 10, 11 and hooking this slot behind the other hook 101, 102 of the flaps 10, 11.

The assembled position is that of figure 2.

5 Figures 5, 6, 7 schematically show the three assembly faces in side view.

Figure 5 shows in its right part, the shape of the main flaps still flat, simply folded around the fold lines 6, 7 with the bottom 1, while the left part 10 shows the main flaps slightly pushed in (compression) to produce the bend and allow the installation of the auxiliary flaps.

When the tabs are joined, they are located in the assembly plane which, in the case of a parallelepiped-shaped (also rectangular or square) base, corresponds to a median plane passing through the median of the sides of the auxiliary flaps. This median corresponds to the X-X line in Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows the installation of the auxiliary flap 4 over the tabs 10, 11, the auxiliary flap 5 still being undone.

Figure 7 shows the installation of the auxiliary flap 5.

Figure 8 is a right-side view of the box partially opened according to Figure 6, at the end of the placement of flap 4, flap 5 not appearing in this figure.

The box is partially closed; the tabs 10, 11 are engaged in the slot 14 of the end 42 of the auxiliary flap 4. This figure 8 shows in particular that the contour of the auxiliary flap 4 extends beyond the section of the cylinder formed by the main flaps 2, 3 and the bottom 1, at the end of the operation of figure 6.

This figure corresponds, with a few slight distortions, also to that of a cross-section of the finished packaging, for example according to figure 2.

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Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1°) A deployable box for pastries, cakes or equivalent products, allowing the products to be placed in and removed from the box in a position that is at least partially deployed and flat, comprising a base bordered on each side by flaps which, when joined, form the peripheral surround and the top of the box, also constituting a means of gripping, the whole being cut from a blank of cardboard or similar material, in one piece, characterized in that - the base (1) is in the shape of a quadrilateral, - the sides of the back continue with two main panels (2, 3) and two auxiliary panels (4, 5), associated respectively- 15. Folded to two opposite sides (6, 7 and 8, 9) of the bottom (1) by a fold line, - the flaps (2, 3, 4, 5) are without folding and their width (b, bl) increases from the side (a, al, 6, 7, 8, 9) of the bottom (1), their edge (21, 31, 41, 51) having a convex shape, for 20 decrease again towards the end (22, 32, 42, 52), - the main flaps (2, 3) continue with a locking and gripping tab (10, 11) connected to the flaps (2, 3) by a folding line (12, 13), - the auxiliary flaps (4, 5) being provided with a longitudinal slot (14, 15) in their end (42, 52) to receive the tabs (10, 11) of the main flaps (2, 3) when the latter are joined by their tabs (10, 11), - the auxiliary flaps (4, 5) curve against the edges (41, 51) of the main flaps (4, 5) by resting against 30 of these and by hooking by their slot (14, 15) onto the tabs (10, 11). 2°) Box according to claim 1, characterized in that 35 the quadrilateral of the background (1) is a parallelogram and, in particular, a rectangle and especially a square. 3°) Box according to claim 1, 10 characterized in that the tabs (10, 11) are provided with corresponding holes (17, 18). DUPLICATE certified comfo:7:^ in pages containing References . mnf a;;;:/?-r: mni rgyé ni) 1 Jose CuiSiau Industrial Project Consulting 'Charlotte <CARLO By prociMafion c!a Mr. Frédéric ITEY