Abstract
A box reducer for trimming or reducing the size of a cardboard box is disclosed. The current invention allows an operator to reduce the size of an existing cardboard box after unnecessary material is removed by a knife or a cutter. The current invention improves prior arts in two ways. First, the invention contains a stabilizer which allows itself to travel in a stable way along the top edge of the flaps of the cardboard box while marking a line to be folded to create the cover of the box. Second, instead of using perforation as prior arts do, this invention uses compression to create the line on the flaps of the cardboard box. Then the operator can fold along the line to create the covering flaps, thus, a reduced box.
Claims
1. A box reducer, comprising: an elongated body; a stabilizer removably secured to said elongated body by a cowling; said stabilizer having an anti-rotation fence; and a bottom portion removably secured to said elongated body, said bottom portion having a stylus and a handle, wherein said stylus is in the form of a cap nut and is attached to said handle.
2. A box reducer as in claim 1 wherein said stabilizer can move along said elongated body and be secured to said elongated body by a screw.
3. A box reducer as in claim 1 wherein said bottom portion can rotate with respect to said elongated body.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of this box reducer.
(2) FIG. 2 depicts a prior art.
(3) FIG. 3 depicts enlarged views (from different angles) of the stabilizer.
(4) FIG. 4 depicts an enlarged view of the stylus/handle.
(5) FIG. 5 depicts the prior art's difficulty in making straight lines.
(6) FIG. 6 depicts how current invention makes straight lines.
(7) FIG. 7 depicts another difference between the prior art and the invention.
(8) FIG. 8 depicts a different view of the same difference illustrated in FIG. 7.
(9) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of this invention and its major parts. It has a shaft (17), the stabilizer/gauge assembly (11), and the stylus/handle Assembly (14,15). The stabilizer/gauge assembly can slide along the shaft to a desired position where a set screw (12) will hold it in place. This determines where a crease will be made in the cardboard. The stylus/handle assembly is attached to the shaft by a bolt (not visible in this figure) in a manner that allows the stylus/handle assembly to rotate.
(10) FIG. 2 shows a prior art that has a shaft (17), depth gauge (18), and perforator/handle assembly (16,19). The depth gauge can slide along the shaft to a desired position where a set screw will hold it in place. The perforator/handle assembly is attached to the shaft by a bolt in a manner that allows the perforating wheel to turn. The handle is fixed relative to the shaft.
(11) FIG. 3 shows multiple views of the stabilizer (11), anti-rotation fence (13), and the cowling (20).
(12) FIG. 4 shows two perspectives of the stylus/handle assembly (14, 15). The stylus is a cap nut (14) that is bolted to the handle assembly. The stylus/handle assembly can rotate around a bolt (25) that holds it to the shaft.
(13) FIG. 5 depicts the difficulty for the prior art in making straight lines. Curved dashed lines show the direction that the perforator tends to go as a sideways force is applied to the handle. Operator must counter this tendency by using two hands moving at the exact same speed. Since this is difficult to do, the result is usually a wavy perforation line.
(14) FIG. 6 depicts how the current invention makes straight lines. The stabilizer shown here counteracts the arcing tendency making it easy to make a straight crease.
(15) FIG. 7 shows a comparison of an operator's hand position when using the prior art and the current invention. Since the prior art handle is fixed in relation to the shaft, the operator's hand can hit the adjacent walls of a box at the start or end of the perforating motion. This can make it awkward to get the perforator all the way into the corner of a box. Since the current invention's handle rotates, it stays away from the sides of the box for the whole creasing motion. The handle does not impede the stylus from getting into the box corners.
(16) FIG. 8 shows a comparison of a stylus (of the current invention) vs a perforator (of a prior art) in cutting the corner of a box. The circular basic shape of a perforating wheel cannot go all the way into a corner. However, a narrower stylus can get virtually all the way in, resulting in cleaner folds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
(17) A preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. It has a shaft (17), the stabilizer/gauge assembly (11), and the stylus/handle Assembly (14,15). The stabilizer/gauge assembly can slide along the shaft to a desired position where a set screw will hold it in place. This determines where a crease will be made in the cardboard. The stylus/handle assembly is attached to the shaft by a bolt (not visible in this figure) in a manner that allows the stylus/handle assembly to pivot.
(18) It improves upon the prior art by 1. A stylus that goes all the way into corners (FIG. 8).
(19) The stylus is narrower than the perforation wheel. Thus, the stylus can get into the box corners. 2. The use of compression to form a crease.
(20) Since compression is used instead of perforation, cardboard fibers are not cut, and the flap can be folded in either direction without the cardboard tearing. Multiple passes can be done to ensure a crease of desired length or depth without tearing the cardboard. Creasing can be done on both sides of the cardboard to enable folding the flaps in either direction. 3. A stabilizer to make straight creases.
(21) In FIG. 3, it shows multiple views of the stabilizer (11), anti-rotation fence (13), and the cowling (20). The stabilizer is incorporated with the depth gauge. This is a metal, wood or plastic plate that extends laterally from the shaft. It keeps the device on a straight path as it is moved across the side of the cardboard box. (See FIG. 3 and FIG. 6) 4. A pivoting stylus/handle.
(22) This pivoting stylus/handle keeps the operator's hand from bumping sidewalls. The stylus/handle assembly is attached to the shaft by a bolt in a manner that allows the stylus and handle to pivot. (See FIG. 1 and FIG. 4). The stylus is a cap nut (14) that is bolted to the handle assembly. The stylus/handle assembly can pivot around a bolt (25) that holds it to the shaft. Since the stylus and handle are on the opposite sides of the pivot point, the stylus can go virtually all the way into a corner while the handle stays away to from the sides of the box (FIG. 7). 5. Contents can Stay in the Box.
(23) Only one hand is needed to move the device to make a crease. The other hand is free to compress box contents that are springy. Therefore, the content inside the box does not need to be emptied to operate the device, then refilled. Also, the stylus is mounted on a narrow extension that is close to the box sides and has minimal or no contact with the box contents. (See FIGS. 1, 3 and 4b).
