Folding box

Abstract

The invention relates to a folding box for packaging, storing or protecting goods, having an outer shell, wherein the outer shell has at least three, preferably four, side walls (1), an upper side (2) and a bottom side (3), wherein uprights (16) are at least partially arranged at the corner edges (5) of the side walls (1) and wherein the side walls (1) have connecting elements at the bottom side (3) and/or at the upper side (2) for connecting to the uprights (16), characterized in that the connecting elements are adapted to compensate positional tolerances and/or shape tolerances of the uprights (16).

Claims

1. Folding box for packaging, storing or protecting goods, having an outer shell, wherein the outer shell has at least three, preferably four, side walls (1), an upper side (2) and a bottom side (3), wherein uprights (16) are at least partially arranged at the corner edges (5) of the side walls (1) and wherein the side walls (1) have connecting elements at the bottom side (3) and/or at the upper side (2) for connecting to the uprights (16), characterized in that the connecting elements are adapted to compensate for positional tolerances and/or shape tolerances of the uprights (16).

2. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the side walls are made of cardboard and preferably the outer shell is designed as folding cardboard.

3. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the side walls, preferably the outer shell, are made of plastic, preferably of hollow-chamber web panels.

4. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting elements at least partially comprise receptacles in which the uprights (16) are arranged, and in that the receptacles (15) are at least partially formed by tabs (4) of the side walls (1), which are connected to the tabs (4) of the adjacent side walls (1) via plug-in or folded connections, and the uprights (16) are inserted into the receptacles (8).

5. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that the tabs (4) have fastening elements comprising at least partially slots, recesses (8) and/or tongues (7) for forming the plug-in or folded connections.

6. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that, in at least one receptacle (6), a first tab (4) of a first side wall (1) has a tongue directed towards a second tab (4) of a second side wall (1) and the second tab (4) has a recess (8) directed towards the first tab (4), wherein the shape of the recess (8) preferably corresponds to the shape of the tongue (7).

7. Folding box according to claim 6, characterized in that in at least one receptacle (6) the first tab (4) has at least one first tongue (7) and at least one first recess (8) and the second tab (4) has at least one second recess (8) corresponding to the shape of the first tongue (7) and at least one second tongue (7) corresponding to the shape of the first recess (8).

8. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that at least some of the tabs (4), preferably all of the tabs (4), are made in one piece with the side walls (1).

9. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that at least part of the tabs (4), preferably all of the tabs (4), extend along the side walls (1) substantially from one corner edge (5) to the other.

10. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one receptacle (6), preferably each receptacle (6) has at least one retaining section, and the retaining section is substantially parallel to at least one side wall (1), and in that at least one receptacle (6), preferably each receptacle (6), has at least one bottom section, which is arranged between the side wall (1) and the retaining section at the bottom side (3) and is substantially parallel to the bottom side (3).

11. Folding box according to claim 10, characterized in that, in at least one receptacle (6), a distance (D) between at least one side wall (1) and a retaining section parallel thereto corresponds to the thickness of the profile of the upright (16) arranged therein or to the thicknesses of the profiles of the uprights (16) arranged therein.

12. Folding box according to claim 4, characterized in that the connection of the tabs (4) to one another is effected exclusively via plug-in or folded connections.

13. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one side wall (1) has, on the upper side (2) and/or the bottom side (3), at least one cover flap (2a) having at least one connecting element, and in that this connecting element comprises a notch (12a, 12b) which accommodates at least one upright (16).

14. Folding box according to claim 13, characterized in that the notch (12b) is L-shaped, and at least one of the two legs of the notch (12b) is made thicker at its end facing away from the other leg than at at least one point between the end and its meeting point with the other leg.

15. Folding box according to claim 14, characterized in that the inner edges of the legs or a common inner edge of the legs are or is curved or designed as a polygonal line or lines.

16. Folding box according to claim 13, characterized in that at least one edge (14) of the notch (12b) facing at least partially towards a side wall (1) is curved or designed as a polygonal line.

17. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the folding box, preferably except for the uprights (16), is made of one material.

18. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls (1) are made substantially of corrugated board.

19. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the uprights (16) are made substantially of solid board.

20. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that the uprights (16) have an L-shaped profile.

21. Folding box according to claim 1, characterized in that two uprights (16) are arranged along each corner edge (5).

Description

[0056] In the following, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiment variants shown in the figures, wherein:

[0057] FIG. 1a shows a punching pattern of a folding box according to the invention in a first embodiment;

[0058] FIG. 1b shows a detail from FIG. 1a;

[0059] FIG. 1c shows a part of a folding box according to a punching pattern of FIG. 1a and

[0060] FIG. 1b in a cross-section transversely according to a line I-I in assembled state;

[0061] FIG. 2a shows a part of a partially assembled folding box according to a second embodiment in an interior view;

[0062] FIG. 2b shows the folding box from FIG. 2a in a plan view with further advanced assembly;

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a part of a partially assembled folding box according to a third embodiment in an interior view;

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a part of a partially assembled folding box according to a fourth embodiment in an interior view.

[0065] In FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, a punching pattern of an outer part 17 for forming an outer shell of a folding box is shown, which has four rectangular side walls 1 which are made in one piece with each other. Such a punching pattern can be assembled together with four or more uprights to form a folding box, without any further auxiliary means or parts. In the assembled state, the outermost side walls 1 are brought together at their free side edges, thus forming a rectangular folding box. In this context, these side walls 1 can be glued to one another in the region of the free side edges, for example, or connected by means of screws, clips or plug-in or folded connections. In this case, all the side walls have large rectangular cover flaps 2a on an upper side 2, each of which extends over the entire side edges of the side walls. By folding the cover flaps 2a over one another, an upper wall can be formed at the upper side 2 and the folding box can be closed off at the top.

[0066] A tab 4 is arranged on the bottom side 3 at the lower edges of each side wall 1. In this case, the tabs 4 extend over the entire length of the lower edges of the side walls 1. Each tab 4 has a retaining part 4a and a bottom part 4b, with the bottom part 4b being arranged between the retaining part 4a and the side wall 1. In particular, the tabs 4 are foldable into the interior of the folding box in such a way that the bottom part 4b is transverse to the side walls 1 and each retaining part 4a is parallel to the side wall 1 to which it is connected via the bottom part 4b. In this way, receptacles 15 can be formed in the regions of the corner edges 5 between the side walls 1, with part of the bottom parts 4b acting as bottom sections and part of the retaining parts 4a acting as retaining sections.

[0067] The bottom parts 4b have a trapezoidal shape, the retaining parts 4a have a rectangular shape. The trapezoidal shape serves to form a substantially continuous bottom section at least in the area of the recesses.

[0068] Each tab 4 extends over the entire side edge of its side wall 1, i.e. the side wall 1 on which the tab 4 is arranged. The parts of the tabs 4 that are arranged in the area of the corner edges 5 can therefore be used to form the receptacles 15. Thus, each tab 4 is used for two adjacent receptacles 15. Thus, the tabs 4 have middle parts 10 between the adjacent receptacles 15, which can be removed completely (dashed lines 9) before or after assembly separated from the parts forming the receptacles 15.

[0069] On the connection sides 4c facing the adjacent tabs 4, a tongue 7 and two recesses 8 are arranged on each tab 4 on a first connection side 4c1 and a recess 8 and two tongues 7 are arranged on a second connection side 4c2. These fastening elements are arranged one behind the other along the connection sides 4c1, 4c2 and extend in total over the entire length of the connection sides 4c.

[0070] Starting from the bottom part 4b, the first connection side 4c1 first has a recess 8 where the first connection side 4c1 is set back (see center line 11). The recess 8 is followed by a tongue 7 which projects from the first connection side 4c1. It is followed again by a recess 8 up to the end of the first connection side 4c1. Here, the tongue 7 and the recesses 8 have trapezoidal shapes.

[0071] The second connection side 4c2 has a structure corresponding to the shape of the first connection side 4c1, there is a tongue 7, followed by a recess 8, followed by a tongue 7. The recess 8 of the second connection side 4c2 is slightly longer than the tongue 7 of the first connection side 4c1. Preferably, this difference is selected in accordance with the thickness of the tabs 4 so that the fastening elements can be interlocked with each other without friction.

[0072] Two cover flaps 2a, which are opposite each other in the assembled state, have notches 12a with straight edges throughout. This results in an L-shape with straight legs at an angle of 90° to each other. Each leg rests against a side wall 1 in the intended installation position. Alternatively, these two cover flaps 2a may have no notches 12a, thus forming a continuous surface at the top and preventing the uprights from slipping out.

[0073] Notches 12b with partially curved edges are arranged on the other cover flaps 2b. These notches 12b have outer edges 13a, 13b, with one outer edge 13a being positioned directly against the side wall 1 on which the cover flap 2b is arranged and thus facing away from it. The other outer edge 13b is arranged to abut and face away from an adjacent side wall 1 when assembled. This configuration is found in all of the notches 12a, 12b.

[0074] Furthermore, these notches 12b have inner edges 14 which face towards the side walls 1. The inner edges 14 are curved in the shape of a segment of a circle in the direction of the side walls 1, so that there are not two inner edges 14 per notch 12b, but only one common one. This results in a concave shape for each of the two legs.

[0075] Thus, the legs of these notches 12b have a first width B at their outer end regions, which is greater than the thickness of the upright 16 or uprights 16 to be arranged therein, and have a second width b in a central region of the legs, which corresponds to the thickness of the upright 16 or uprights 16 to be arranged therein.

[0076] All notches 12a, 12b are arranged in the corners of the cover flaps 2a, 2b, i.e. in the area of the corner edges 5. The cover flaps 2a, 2b are arranged in such a way that two cover flaps 2a, 2b always lie one above the other in a corner, with one cover flap 2b with a curved second edge 14 and one cover flap 2a with two straight inner edges 14 always being arranged per corner.

[0077] FIG. 1c shows a folding box which has been manufactured according to the punching pattern shown and also already at least partially assembled. A section is shown in the area of a receptacle 15 transverse to a side wall 1. Here, the tab 4 has already been folded over and the tongues 7 and recesses 8 have been folded into one another with those of the adjacent tabs 4, whereby the flap opens a U-shaped slot in which a leg of an upright 16 is arranged. Since the adjacent tab 4 has the same structure, it likewise forms a corresponding slot in the region of the receptacle 15, which can accommodate a further leg of the upright 14. In this case, the bottom part 4b is arranged essentially parallel to the bottom side 3 and lies parallel to a horizontal plane H. The retaining part 4a is essentially parallel to the side wall 1 and to a vertical plane V. Thus, the receptacle 15 has a distance D between the side wall 1 and the retaining part 4a which preferably corresponds to the thickness of the upright 16 or the thicknesses of the uprights 16 which are to be arranged therein.

[0078] Thus, the parts of the bottom parts 4b of the adjacent tabs 4, which are arranged in the area of the receptacle 15, jointly form the bottom section. Correspondingly, the parts of the retaining parts 4a of the adjacent tabs 4, which are arranged in the area of the receptacle 15, also jointly form the retaining section.

[0079] FIG. 2a shows a second embodiment in an assembled state. The tabs 4 are formed as in the first embodiment and are folded inward in the state shown. The tongues 7 of the first and second connecting sides 4c1, 4c2 are engaged with the respective recesses 8, whereby the folded shape stabilizes itself. This results in openings along the side walls 1 with a thickness D defined by the width of the bottom parts 4b. In the areas of the corner edges 5 there are thus recesses 15 which have an L-shape.

[0080] In these receptacles 15, uprights 16 are inserted, which have an L-shaped profile corresponding to the receptacles 15 and extend from the receptacles 15 on the inside of the corner edges 5 to the upper side 2.

[0081] The cover flaps 2a, 2b are shown opened for better viewing. They are designed as in FIG. 1a, but only two opposite cover flaps have notches 13 with curved inner edges 14. In the assembled state, these cover flaps 2b are first folded onto the side walls 1, with the uprights 16 penetrating the notches 13 at their upper sides and being held in place by them. FIG. 2b shows such a configuration. Here, the curved shape of the inner edges 14 pushes the legs of the uprights 16 apart and stabilizes them in this position. The remaining cover flaps 2a are subsequently folded and thus close the upper side without gaps except for a gap in the center which may occur.

[0082] Except for the uprights 16, the folding box is made of corrugated board and in one piece, with the uprights 16 being made of solid board. Alternatively, the folding box can also have an outer shell which is in two pieces.

[0083] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment in which the same punching pattern from the second embodiment was used. However, before folding the tabs 4, the center parts 10 were separated from the parts of the retaining part 4a forming the receptacles 15.

[0084] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment which largely corresponds to the second embodiment. However, the bottom part 4b has been made longer so that two uprights 16 can be inserted into each receptacle 15. For this purpose, the uprights are arranged one behind the other. Accordingly, the notches 13 should also be made larger.