EP0559132A1

EP0559132A1 - Set of automatically spring-openable boxes

Info

Publication number: EP0559132A1
Application number: EP93103282A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marino Biagioni
Original assignee: CORSONNA SpA
Current assignee: CORSONNA SpA
Priority date: 1992-03-05
Filing date: 1993-03-02
Publication date: 1993-09-08
Also published as: ITTO920054V0; IT227488Y1; ITTO920054U1

Abstract

This invention discloses a set of automatically spring-openable boxes (14), preferably made of cardboard or another cheap material, which are provided with upper openings (21,22,23) for facilitating the grip and a tongue (17) with a corresponding slot (18) for the closing of the boxes (14). The boxes (14), ready to be taken, are stacked in a folded position within an open container (10).

Description

This invention relates to a set of cardboard boxes with an open container for stacking them tidely, ready to be taken.
It often occurs that travellers, after shopping in airports or in motorway petrol stations, find themselves full of boxes and magazines difficult to arrange and handle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a set of portable containers with various sizes at the disposal of customers to let them travel with the minimum number of items of luggage.
With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention proposes to realize a set of automatically spring-openable boxes, preferably made of cardboard or another cheap material, characterized in that the boxes are provided with upper openings for facilitating the grip and a tongue with a corresponding slot for the closing of the boxes; said boxes, ready to be taken, being stacked in a folded position within an open container.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so front boxes and the taller back boxes stick out of the container vertically. The wall 12 is of such height to render the boxes in the front lines well visible so that the variety of the boxes at disposal will be immediately spotted.
Once open, the boxes 14 (fig. 2) assume a substantially parallelepipedal shape. The larger walls 15 and 16 are respectively provided with a tongue 17 and a corresponding slot 18 for closing the box. To achieve this, the opposite tops 19 and 20 have to be brought near and the tongue 17 inserted in the slot 18. Referring to figs. 2 and 3, elonged openings 21, 22 and 23 are obtained in each box 14 for facilitating the grip. The opening 21 is obtained in the wall 16 above the slot 18; the opening 22 is obtained in the wall 15 so to be opposite to the opening 21; the opening 23 is located on a pliable portion 26 near the tongue 17. When the box is ready for use (fig. 3), the portion 26 is kept adherent to the wall 16, so that the openings 21 and 23 overlap and the user can hold the box comfortably.
For the purpose of being set tidely and occupying the minimum space inside the container 10, the boxes 14 are stacked folded along their diagonal A, dotted in fig. 4. Accidental opening is avoided by a rubber band or a clip (not shown) that keeps the boxes folded.
As shown in fig. 1, the folded boxes 14 that are fitted within the container 10 although having different heights, and consequently different volumes once open, all have the same width when they are folded, that corresponds to the width of the open container. When the boxes 14 are folded up they should contact, with a slight friction, the side walls 11 of the container 10 so as to remain stacked vertically also when the container 10 is not full. In this way the boxes 14 that are available for the customer can be taken easily.
Referring to fig. 3, a label 24 is attached or printed on the boxes 14 so that a traveller will be able to write his own name and address on it. In case the set of boxes according to this invention are placed in an airport, the boxes 14 represent an ideal container for collecting all the hand-luggage of a traveller, and will be suitably sized so as to be fitted within the compartment above the passenger's seat.
As the whole set of cardboard boxes has to be transported easily together with the container 10, the latter is advantageously automatically spring-openable, like the boxes, so that it will not take up too much space during transport.
The set of boxes according to this invention, being a disposable product, will be preferably realized in a cheap material such as cardboard or the like.
As it can be appreciated, the present invention besides providing a cheap product that could be offered free, is ideal for carrying adverts both on the boxes 14 and the container 10.
Although a preferred embodiment of the set of boxes has thus been described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise embodiment and that numerous changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A set of automatically spring-openable boxes, preferably made of cardboard or another cheap material, characterized in that the boxes (14) are provided with upper openings (21,22,23) for facilitating the grip and a tongue (17) with a corresponding slot (18) for the closing of the boxes (14); said boxes (14), ready to be taken, being stacked in a folded position within an open container (10).
A set of boxes according to claim 1, wherein the boxes (14), when in a folded or closed position, have a width corresponding to the width of said container (10).
A set of boxes according to claims 1 and 2, wherein said boxes (14) are vertically aligned within said container (10).
A set of boxes according to claim 1, wherein the boxes (14) are disposed in groups having different sizes.
A set of boxes according to claims 1 and 4, wherein the container (10), preferably made of cardboard or other cheap material, is automatically spring-openable; said container being topless and having two opposite walls (12,13) with different heights united by side walls (11) with inclined edges (25).
A set of boxes according to claim 1 wherein the boxes (14) are provided with a label (24) attached or printed on said boxes for the name and address of the owner.