Forming Method of Wood or Wood Fibre Container Preferably for Horticultural Use

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for forming containers made of wood or wood fibre preferably for use with fruits and vegetables, comprising at least one base (5) and sides (6, 7), which extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3, 4). In a first step of the method, folding lines (3, 4) are defined on the laminar preform, whereon rectangular through holes (1) and non-through incisions (2) are die cut. Finally, the container is folded and the final assembly is performed. Likewise, an object of the invention are containers preferably for use with fruits and vegetables, for commercial or industrial use which are able to be obtained by the previous method.

Claims

1. A forming method of wood or wood fibre container preferably for horticultural use, starting from a laminar preform, comprising at least: a base (5), larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7), which extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3), and optionally extensions (10) which extend from the larger sides (6) and/or smaller sides (7), or which extend consecutively from other extensions (10), with the aid in both cases of second folding lines (4), and which comprises the steps of: defining the folding lines (3, 4), folding of the larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7) with respect to the first folding lines (3), and optionally folding the extensions (10) with respect to the second folding lines (4), assembling the container by joining the larger sides (6) and the smaller sides (7) and optionally the extensions (10), characterised in that defining the folding lines (3, 4) comprises the steps of: die cutting rectangular through holes (1) along the folding lines (3, 4), die cutting non-through incisions (2) along the folding lines (3, 4), distributed uniformly between the rectangular through holes (1).

2. A container preferably for horticultural, commercial or industrial use, able to be obtained by the method described in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least: a base (5), and larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7), which extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3), comprising rectangular through holes (1) alternating with non-through incisions (2).

3. A container preferably for horticultural, commercial or industrial use, able to be obtained by the method described in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least: a base (5), larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7), which extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3), comprising alternating through holes (1) alternating with non-through incisions (2), and extensions (10) that extend from the larger sides (6) and/or smaller sides (7), or that extend consecutively from other extensions (10), with the aid in both cases of second folding lines (4), comprising rectangular through holes (1), alternating with non-through incisions (2).

4. The container of claim 2 or 3, further comprising tabs (8) which emerge from the smaller sides (7) and/or the larger sides (6), and perforations (9) in the base (5), the tabs (8) being intended to be inserted into the perforations (9) of a second container positioned on the container, keeping one fastened on top of the other.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein one of the extensions (10) extends from the top from a larger side (6) or from a smaller side (7), with the aid of the second folding lines (4), comprising rectangular through holes (1) alternating with non-through incisions (2), the extension (10) being intended to cover the top of the container.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] As a complement to the description provided herein, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance with a preferred practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of drawings which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:

[0042] FIG. 1.—Shows a plan view of the folding lines with the rectangular through holes and the non-through incisions.

[0043] FIG. 2.—Shows a cross section of the folding lines with the rectangular through holes and the non-through incisions.

[0044] FIG. 3.—Shows a view of a first embodiment of the unfolded container.

[0045] FIG. 4.—Shows a view of the container of the first embodiment when assembled.

[0046] FIG. 5.—Shows a view of a second embodiment of the unfolded container.

[0047] FIG. 6.—Shows a view of the container of the second embodiment when assembled.

[0048] FIG. 7.—Shows a view of a second embodiment of the unfolded container.

[0049] FIG. 8.—Shows a view of the container of the second embodiment when assembled.

[0050] FIG. 9.—Shows a table with the dimensions of the rectangular through holes and the non-through incisions depending on the thickness of the sheet.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0051] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with help from FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0052] The method object of the invention starts from a laminar preform made of HDF (high-density fibreboard) with thickness A. Starting from this preform, a container is formed comprising at least one base (5), larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7), which extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3), and extensions (10) which extend from the larger sides (6) and/or smaller sides (7), or which extend consecutively from other extensions (10), with the aid in both cases of second folding lines (4).

[0053] To do so, the method comprises a first step of defining the folding lines (3, 4) on the laminar preform. In order to define the folding lines (3, 4), rectangular through holes (1) are first die cut along said folding lines (3, 4). Then, non-through incisions (2) are die cut along the folding lines (3, 4), distributed uniformly between the rectangular through holes

[0054] The rectangular through holes (1) have a width B and a height C, and are uniformly distributed along the folding lines (3, 4) at a separation distance D therebetween.

[0055] The non-through incisions (2) have a length E and a depth F. Thus, in the folding lines (3, 4), a rectangular through hole (1) alternates with a non-through incision (2).

[0056] FIG. 1 shows how the through holes (1) and the non-through incisions (2) are distributed along the folding lines (3, 4). FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a folding line (3, 4) wherein the rectangular through holes (1) and the non-through incisions (2) alternate.

[0057] These rectangular through holes (1) and non-through incisions (2) will be what facilitates the folding of the laminar preform made of wood or wood fibre, preventing it from breaking.

[0058] As seen in detail in the table of FIG. 9, depending on the thickness A of the laminar preform that is intended to be die cut, which can vary between 0.8 and 4 mm, the rectangular through holes (1) will have a variable width B between 2 and 6 mm (they will be wider when the preform is thicker) and a constant height C of 1 mm. They will be arranged along the folding lines (3, 4) at an intermittent distance D comprised between 8 and 22 millimetres.

[0059] Moreover, the non-through incisions (2) will penetrate approximately 20% of the thickness A of the laminar preform, leaving the remaining 80% not crossed through. FIG. 9 shows the depth F of the non-through incision (1) depending on thickness A. The non-through incisions (2) will be positioned at the intermediate point located between two adjacent rectangular through holes (1), and will have a length E.

[0060] In the second step of the method, the larger sides (6) and the smaller sides (7) are folded with respect to the first folding lines (3), and the extensions (10) with respect to the second folding lines (4). Finally, the container is assembled by joining the larger sides (6), the smaller sides (7) and the extensions (10).

[0061] Likewise, an object of the present invention are containers preferably for use with fruits and vegetables, for commercial or industrial use. These containers are made of renewable wood fibre, HDF (high-density) with a density greater than 800 Kg/m.sup.3, with an FSC seal and CARB-2 binders, with thicknesses of 0.8 to 4 millimetres. They are made up of a single part, a laminar preform, and are able to be obtained by the method described above.

[0062] Next, three preferred embodiments of the aforementioned containers will be described, said embodiments not being limiting, and there may be countless types of containers able to be obtained by the aforementioned forming method.

[0063] The first embodiment, which is shown disassembled in FIG. 3 and assembled in FIG. 4, consists of a first container preferably used with fruits and vegetables, for commercial or industrial use which first comprises a base (5), larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7) that extend with respect to the base (5), with the aid of first folding lines (3). This first folding line (3) comprises rectangular through holes (1) and non-through incisions (2).

[0064] Both the larger sides (6) and the smaller sides (7) are intended to be folded with respect to the base (5) along the first folding lines (3), being perpendicular to the base (5). In this first embodiment, it is not necessary to use glue to form the container.

[0065] Furthermore, the container of the first embodiment has tabs (8) which emerge from the top of the smaller sides (7) and perforations (9) located in the base (5). When one of the containers of this first embodiment is stacked on another identical container, the tabs (8) of the container that is in the lower position are intended to be inserted in the perforations (9) of the container that is in the upper position, keeping the containers together, preventing the stack of containers from falling.

[0066] In a second embodiment of the invention, which can be seen disassembled in FIG. 5 and assembled in FIG. 6, the container preferably used with fruits and vegetables, for commercial or industrial use comprises a base (5), larger sides (6) and smaller sides (7), which emerge from the base, with the aid of first folding lines (3). As in the first embodiment, the larger sides (6) and the smaller sides (7) are folded with respect to the base (5) through the first folding lines (3).

[0067] In this second embodiment, the base (5) has straight corners, as shown in FIG. 5. Extensions (10) emerge from the larger sides (6). The first of these extensions (10) emerges from the side of the larger side (6), being joined to it through a second folding line (4), and the second extension (10) is joined to the first extension (10) through a second folding line (4).

[0068] When assembling the container of this second embodiment, the first extension (10) is positioned in the straight corner of the base (5), and the second extension (10) is intended to be adhered with glue to the corresponding smaller side (7), laterally closing the container.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the container comprises another extension (10), which extends from the top with respect to a larger side, with the aid of one of the second folding lines (4), intended to cover the top of the container, acting as a cover. This extension (10) can be folded with respect to the larger side (6), opening and closing the container without breaking, protecting the contents thereof.

[0070] In the third embodiment of the container, which is shown developed in FIG. 7 and assembled in FIG. 8, the container comprises the base (5), the larger sides (6) and the smaller sides (7), as they have been set forth in the two previous embodiments.

[0071] Furthermore, extensions (10) emerge from the smaller sides (7), extensions which are joined to the smaller sides (7) and to each other through the second folding lines (4). In this case, the container comprises three extensions (10) which are intended to be folded forming a prism with a triangular base, which is positioned in each of the four corners of the base (5). One of the extensions (10) is in contact with the larger side (6) and the other is in contact with the smaller side (7), sticking to these by means of applying glue.

[0072] Finally, the extension (10) located in the central position comprises a tab (8) which emerges from the top thereof. In this embodiment, the base (5) comprises perforations (9) in the corners of the base (5). When stacking containers on top of each other, the tabs (8) of the container located on the bottom are intended to be inserted into the perforations (9) of the container located on top, keeping the containers fastened with respect to each other and preventing them from falling.

[0073] An advantage offered by this third embodiment is that, especially thanks to the arrangement of the extensions (10), a container is created that is highly resistant to compression exerted by loading the filled containers and which enables the containers to be stacked up to a height greater than 2.40 m, completely guaranteed to safely arrive at the destination.

[0074] In order to exemplify with real values the aforementioned saving in resources, especially wood, caused by using this type of container, some information is presented below.

[0075] For example, the manufacture of a container with dimensions of 235×195×65 mm is proposed. First, if the container made of traditional wood is formed, with wooden corner pieces and joined together by means of staples, 3333 units/m.sup.3 can be produced. On the other hand, if containers with boards made of renewable wood fibre starting from 1.2 mm are used, which are able to be obtained by the forming method object of the invention, 6006 units/m.sup.3 can be obtained. The difference is 80% more units per cubic metre.