STACKABLE BOX

Abstract

The invention relates to a stackable box with an inverted truncated pyramid shape, comprising a box body (1), with a base and respective walls (2), with the upper part open, and respective foldable flaps (3) on the upper part of at least a pair of facing walls (2), the flaps (3) being arranged horizontally on the inside of the box (1A) in a first position, and outside the vertical projection of the body of the box (1) in a second position. The connection of the flap (3) to the respective wall (2) thereof can be carried out by means of a hinge (4) or a thin strip (5). The flaps (3) can have respective tabs for locking onto the walls (2) adjacent to the wall supporting the flap (3).

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A stackable box with an inverted truncated pyramid shape allowing the fitting thereof into another similar stackable box in a nested manner, which box comprises a box body, with a base and respective walls, with the upper part open, and respective foldable flaps in the upper part of at least one pair of facing walls, said flaps being movable, by means of articulated attachments the rotating shafts of which are arranged in a cantilever manner with respect to the walls, between a first position in which the flaps are arranged horizontally on the inside of the box, and a second position in which the flaps they are arranged under the vertical projection of the support wall supporting the box body and close to the wall, characterized in that: the flap has a width, measured from said rotating shaft to the free edge of the flap, such that the projection thereof over the horizontal in the second position is less than or equal to the thickness of an upper edge of the support wall measured from the articulation shaft to an inner side of the wall; said width of the flap is such that, in the second position, the flap does not change the width or the height of the nested arrangement with respect to a hypothetical nested arrangement of the box bodies without the flaps; the box is made of a thermoplastic material, obtained by injection molding; and said articulated attachment of each flap with its respective wall comprises at least one thin strip made of the same material of the box, so the flap forms a single body with its respective wall.

11. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein the walls have upper rims which increase the thickness of the wall in the upper part and allow arranging the rotating shaft of the articulated attachment in a cantilever manner.

12. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein at least one wall has reinforcement posts.

13. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein the flaps have respective locking flanges on the walls contiguous to the one supporting the flap.

14. The stackable box according to claim 10, having in the flap protrusions and/or notches complementary to the notches and protrusions made in the base of the box body.

15. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein the base and/or the walls have openworks for the discharge of liquids or passage of air.

16. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein the base has cavities or shapes for placing products.

17. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein in the second position the flaps are attached to the outer part of the support wall by a fastener.

18. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein the flaps have locking flanges in the first position.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The following drawings are included to better understand the invention.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows the view of two box models according to respective embodiments, where FIG. 1A shows the flaps in the closed position or first position, and FIG. 1B shows the flaps in the open position or second position.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows the detail of a third embodiment of the box with a hinge.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows the detail of another embodiment of the box with a film.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the stackable box, where the posts and cut-out areas are seen.

[0017] FIG. 5 shows the detail of several boxes of the embodiment with the flaps in the open position and nested together (A) and in the closed position and stacked on top of one another (B).

[0018] FIG. 6 shows the section explaining the position of the flaps in the first (closed) position and in the second (open) position, where the difference in height in both cases is seen.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0019] An embodiment of the invention will be described briefly below as an illustrative and non-limiting example of said invention.

[0020] The box of the invention comprises a box body (1), the base of which usually has a rectangular or square shape, and with the upper part completely open, i.e., its walls (2) have no element whatsoever protruding through the top part towards the inside of the box, with the exception of a possible reinforcement rib or the like which affects the entire height. In any case, the walls (2) must allow the box bodies (1) to fit into one another, for which it is preferable for the walls (2) to be slightly inclined, the box body (1) having an inverted truncated pyramid shape. The shape of the base of the pyramid is irrelevant, where it can be any polygon or curved figure.

[0021] There will be arranged in at least one pair of opposite walls (2) of the box body (1) respective foldable flaps (3) which, in a first position or closed position, are arranged almost horizontally and on the inside of the box. In that first position (depicted in FIG. 1A), when a box is placed on top of the other, the upper box will be supported on the flaps (3) of the lower box.

[0022] The flaps will have a second position or open position (depicted in FIG. 1B) in which they will be arranged outside the box, i.e., outside the vertical projection of the box body (1). Specifically, they will be arranged close to the corresponding wall (2) on the outer part thereof. The flaps (3) may swing any number of degrees between the two positions. Therefore, the second position may be oriented downwards after a rotation of more than 270.

[0023] The flap (3) can be articulated to the corresponding wall (2) by means of one or more hinges (4) or by means of one or more thin strips (5) made of the same material of the box. Since it is thin, it will be flexible and allow both positions. This strip (5) must achieve a balance between flexibility and breaking strength. When the attachment is by a hinge (4), the flaps (3) can be made of a material different from that used in the box body (1).

[0024] The part of the flap (3) contacting the walls (2) contiguous to the one supporting it may comprise one or more locking flanges (10). These locking flanges (10) make it easier to maintain the closed position of the flaps (FIG. 1A) as long as no other box is stacked on top.

[0025] Protrusions (6) and/or notches (7) as well as ribs can be made in the flap (3) to help centering the upper box, which will have in the base thereof complementary notches and protrusions. In this manner, once a box is placed on top of the other, sliding will not occur because the protrusions (6) of the base have been introduced into the notches (7) of the flap (3) and/or vice versa.

[0026] Considering FIGS. 5 and 6, the size or width that the flaps (3) must have with respect to the support wall (2) is seen. It depends on the thickness of the wall (2) which can be made larger in the upper part thereof with a rim.

[0027] Preferably, it will be assured that manufacturing tolerances do not prevent the nested arrangement.

[0028] For the flap (3) to be perfectly hidden from sight, it is recommendable for the shaft of the articulation, i.e., either the hinge (4) or the strip (5), to be arranged in a slightly cantilever manner with respect to the wall (2).

[0029] A fastener may be arranged to assure the position between the flap (3) and the corresponding wall (2), for example by means of collaboration between a protrusion (6) in the flap (3) and a point of the wall (2), among other solutions. It is also possible for the flap (3) to be fixed in place by the mere placement of the box in a nested position.

[0030] The box will be made of any suitable material and color, with thermoplastics being the most common material. It may also be made of other materials. Reinforcement ribs, lightening elements or openworks, handles, height recesses may also be placed in the side walls (cut-out areas), as is known in the state of the art, without those applications deviating from the invention. It is of interest to make depressions and protrusions in the walls (2) so as to increase the strength thereof, for example with corrugations or posts, as well as to provide cut-out areas (9): planar areas (11) without openworks or ribs therein for placing labels or card holders or for printing logotypes. The box can have rims or ribs in the mouth and in the base to increase its strength.

[0031] Likewise, the bottom may have openworks for the discharge of liquids or passage of air, or cavities or shapes (8) for placing products such as fruits and vegetables. These shapes (8) will be similar to the fruit or element for which the box is intended.

[0032] The invention is applicable to a box body (1) of any shape as long as it has two parallel opposite walls (2) for fixing the flaps (3).