Reusable Box

Abstract

A reusable box includes a bottom, side walls, a lid, a sealing element on the lid to seal the box, and a temporary closure structure on the lid inboard of sides of the lid. The temporary closure structure includes a tab with a folding line to temporarily close the lid. The tab is hinged along the folding line to enable insertion into a slot on a surface of the reusable box in a temporarily closed configuration. The slot has a narrow portion defined by a projection of the surface of the box into the slot, with an opening along the fold line positioned along the narrow portion of the slot in the temporarily closed configuration. The sealing element is located between a free side of the lid and the temporary closure structure such that the reusable box is temporarily closable before and after sealing the reusable box.

Claims

1. A reusable box, comprising: a bottom; side walls; a lid having sides, including a free side; a sealing element arranged on the lid to seal the reusable box, the sealing element comprising an adhesive strip provided with a removable protective tape; and a temporary closure structure arranged on the lid inboard of the sides of the lid, the temporary closure structure comprising a tab with a folding line to temporarily close the lid, the lid having an opening extending across a portion of the folding line, the tab being hinged along the folding line to enable insertion into a complementary slot on a surface of the reusable box in a temporarily closed configuration, wherein the complementary slot has a narrow portion defined by a projection of the surface of the reusable box into the complementary slot, the opening on the lid being positioned along the narrow portion of the complementary slot in the temporarily closed configuration, wherein the sealing element is located between the free side of the lid and the temporary closure structure such that the reusable box is temporarily closable a plurality of times before and after sealing the reusable box with the sealing element.

2. The reusable box of claim 1, wherein: the reusable box is formed from a single sheet of corrugated material comprising parallel channels; and the parallel channels of the corrugated material are perpendicular relative to the folding line of the tab.

3. The reusable box of claim 1, wherein a width of the tab is equal to or less than a length of the complementary slot.

4. The reusable box of claim 1, wherein the complementary slot is located on the surface of the reusable box inboard of an outer perimeter of the reusable box.

5. The reusable box of claim 1, further comprising a tear strip.

6. The reusable box of claim 5, wherein the tear strip is positioned between the sealing element and the temporary closure structure.

7. The reusable box of claim 5, wherein the tear strip is aligned with the temporary closure structure.

8. A reusable box, comprising: a bottom; side walls; a lid having sides, including a free side; a tamper-proof closing element arranged on the lid to close the reusable box for a tamper-proof shipment; and a temporary closure structure arranged on the lid inboard of the sides of the lid, the temporary closure structure comprising a tab with a folding line to temporarily close the lid, the lid having an opening extending across a portion of the folding line, the tab being hinged along the folding line to enable insertion into a complementary slot on a surface of the reusable box in a temporarily closed configuration, wherein the complementary slot has a narrow portion defined by a projection of the surface of the reusable box into the complementary slot, the opening on the lid being positioned along the narrow portion of the complementary slot in the temporarily closed configuration, wherein the tamper-proof closing element is located between the free side of the lid and the temporary closure structure such that the reusable box temporarily closable a plurality of times before and after closing the reusable box with the tamper-proof closing element.

9. The reusable box of claim 8, wherein: the reusable box is formed from a single sheet of corrugated material comprising parallel channels; and the parallel channels of the corrugated material are perpendicular relative to the folding line of the tab.

10. The reusable box of claim 8, wherein a width of the tab is equal to or less than a length of the complementary slot.

11. The reusable box of claim 8, wherein the complementary slot is located on the surface of the reusable box inboard of an outer perimeter of the reusable box.

12. The reusable box of claim 8, wherein an element of the reusable box is tearable to open the reusable box from a tamper-proof state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] For a better understanding of what is disclosed, some drawings are attached, wherein, schematically and only by way of non-limiting example, a practical case of embodiment is shown.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the shipping box of the present disclosure, in a position prior to assembly;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 in its open position;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 just before its temporary closure;

[0033] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 in its position of temporary closure;

[0034] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 just before sealing;

[0035] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 in its sealed position;

[0036] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 during its opening from its sealed position;

[0037] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1 in its temporary closed position after a first seal and shipping;

[0038] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0039] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0040] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0041] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0042] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0043] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position;

[0044] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the shipping box of FIG. 14 just before its temporary closure;

[0045] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure, in its open position; and

[0046] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the shipping box in FIG. 16 just before its temporary closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In FIGS. 1 to 8 it is shown a first embodiment of the shipping box according to the present disclosure.

[0048] The shipping box comprises a bottom 1, side walls 2 and a lid 3. According to the illustrated embodiment, the shipping box is formed from a single sheet of corrugated material, preferably corrugated cardboard. The corrugated material comprises a plurality of channels parallel to each other.

[0049] The shipping box according to the present disclosure comprises a sealing element and temporary closure structure, which are preferably arranged in the lid 3.

[0050] It is noted that the temporary closure structure closes the box safely, i.e., preventing the accidental opening of the box, but also allowing to opening and closing it a plurality of times according to the user's will.

[0051] The sealing element is formed by an adhesive strip 4 which can be seen in FIG. 5, covered by a protective tape 5, removed before sealing the box.

[0052] Meanwhile, the temporary closure structure comprises a tab 6 which is housed in a complementary slot 7, which in the embodiment shown is placed on the bottom 1 of the box. It is evident that the temporary closure structure may comprise more than one tab which is housed in a corresponding number of complementary slots.

[0053] As shown in these figures, the sealing element 4 is displaced to the outside of the box relative to the temporary closure structure 6.

[0054] To facilitate the introduction of the tab 6 into the slot 7, the tab 6 comprises a folding line 13, which allows putting together the tab 6 relative to the flap 8.

[0055] Advantageously, the width of the at least one tab 6 is equal to or less than the length of the at least one complementary slot 7, preventing the tab 6 from breaking after a first use.

[0056] Also, preferably the corrugated material channels are perpendicular to the folding line 13, reinforcing tab 6 to facilitate its use more than once.

[0057] This tab 6 does not interfere with the contents of the box when introduced into the additional slot 7.

[0058] The lid 3 of the shipping box according to the present disclosure comprises a flap 8 and an additional flap 9, which are divided by two folding lines allowing the closing of the box.

[0059] As shown in the figures, the sealing element (the adhesive strip covered by the protective tape 5) and the temporary closure structure (the flap 6) are arranged in flap 8.

[0060] In addition, to facilitate the opening of the box after its sealing, flap 8 also comprises a tear strip 10, which is disposed between the sealing element and the temporary closure structure, i.e., it is disposed between the adhesive strip 4 covered by the protective tape 5 and the tab 6.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom 1 and side walls 2 have a double thickness for reinforcing, the double thickness formed from respective additional flaps (additional flap 11 of the bottom 1, and additional flaps 12 of the side walls 2).

[0062] From the single sheet, the additional flaps 11 and 12 are folded on the bottom 1 and the side walls 2, respectively, leaving the box in the open position, shown in FIG. 2.

[0063] To close the box temporarily, the lid 3 is placed on the bottom 1, so that the flap 8 remains on the bottom 1 and the additional flap 9 remains on the side of the box opposite to the bottom 1, so that the tab 6 is introduced into the slot 7, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, this temporary closure may be performed before the sealing of the box, and in order to open the box it is just necessary to remove the tab 6 of the slot 7, which can be done as many times as required.

[0064] To seal the box the protective tape 5 must be removed (FIG. 5), leaving bare the adhesive strip 4, which allows to fix the flap 8 to the bottom 1 of the box (FIG. 6).

[0065] To open the sealed box the tear strip 10 is pulled (FIG. 7) until it falls off entirely from the rest of the box. Thanks to the position of the tear strip 10, a portion of the flap 8 will remain fixed to the bottom 1 of the box, but the other side of the flap 8 will allow to open the box and reach its content.

[0066] Since the tab 6 is positioned in this portion of the flap 8, the box may be temporarily closed as often as required after the sealing of the box (FIG. 8).

[0067] In FIGS. 9 to 13 there are shown respective embodiments very similar to the first embodiment described.

[0068] For simplicity's sake only the differences will be described relative to the first embodiment and the same reference numerals are used to identify the same elements or equivalent elements.

[0069] In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the main difference is that the tear strip 10 is not positioned between the sealing element and the temporary closure structure, but it is placed aligned with the temporary closure structure, i.e. with the tab 6, in particular with the folding line 13 of the tab 6.

[0070] The use of this embodiment box is exactly like the use of the box according to the above embodiment.

[0071] In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the main difference is that the tear strip 10 is a tear strip formed by a curved die-cut line located between the sealing element and the temporary closure structure.

[0072] It is noted that it should be understood that the term tear strip includes any type of strip or line that allows the separation of a portion of the box, in particular a portion of the flap of the box, either a physical strip of any appropriate material or a die-cut line.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the main difference is that the tear strip 10 is a curved die-cut line, whose central portion is aligned with the folding line 13 of the tab.

[0074] In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the main difference from the first embodiment is the presence of second sealing element allowing to seal the box a second time. For example, the second sealing element is useful for returning a product shipped, without being necessary the use of an external sealing element.

[0075] In this embodiment, the second sealing element is arranged between the tear strip 10 and the tab 6.

[0076] However, as shown in the sixth embodiment of FIG. 13, the second sealing element may be arranged between the tab 6 and the folding line separating the flap 8 from the additional flap 9.

[0077] In these fifth and sixth embodiments, the second sealing element is also preferably formed by an adhesive strip 4 covered by a protective tape 5.

[0078] The use of these embodiments box is exactly like the use of the box according to the above embodiments, with the difference that the box can be sealed a second time, for example, for returning the product shipped.

[0079] In FIGS. 14 to 17 two additional embodiments are shown, the seventh and eighth embodiments, which have in common, and being a difference from previous embodiments, that the temporary closure structure comprises two side tabs 6 instead of a central tab, as in the above embodiments.

[0080] The side tabs 6 are arranged on the sides of the flap 8 of the lid 3.

[0081] In the seventh embodiment, the side flaps 6 are housed in complementary slots 7 which are arranged on the bottom 1 of the box, as shown in FIG. 15.

[0082] In the eighth embodiment, the additional flap 9 forming the lid 3 is not attached to the flap 8, but it is hinged to the opposite side wall, as shown in FIG. 16.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the complementary slots 7 are not arranged on the bottom 1 of the box, but they are arranged in the additional flap 9 of the lid 3.

[0084] The use of these embodiments box is exactly like the use of the box according to the first embodiment.

[0085] Although it has been made reference to specific embodiments of the disclosed shipping box, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that the shipping box described is susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by other technically equivalent without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.