TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a box casing according to the preamble of claim 1 , as well as a method for creating a box casing according to the preamble of the appended independent claim re lated thereto. The invention relates especially to such a box casing which is intended to be used within the field of commercial logistics, such as a box, pallet collar or similar construction to be used for storing goods in a warehouse, for transport of components from a sub contractor to a manufacturer or for transport of end products from a manufacturer to a store.

BACKGROUND ART

A box casing of the type described in the introduction already known is for instance a regular transport box made of corrugated paper or wood, which consists of four lateral walls, a bottom and a lid. Important characteristics of box casings of this type are for instance low production costs, low weight, and good wear re sistance, recyclability and stacking ability.

Regular corrugated boxes of this type are produced to a low cost, has low weight and are easy to recycle. However, these are not suited for containing heavy loads or for being stacked on top of each other. They also have bad wear resistance which makes them risky to use for transporting expensive and fragile goods. Heavy, fragile or expensive goods are therefore often transported in wooden or plastic boxes. However, these are much more ex pensive to produce and has a significant weight making them dif ficult to handle and resulting in higher fuel costs during transport. Also, boxes of wood usually include metal fastening means such as nails, screws or stapler pins, which is a problem by recycling them at the end of their life span.

Furthermore, box casings of this type should occupy little space when being transported empty so as to enable transportation thereof to a customer, or back to a logistics provider after use, at a low cost. It is for this reason common that box casings are de livered to a customer in several parts. Therefore, the box casings should be quickly assembled before use as well as easily disas- sembled for reuse, so that handling time and thereby costs are kept low.

There is a constant strive for improving box casings of this type, for instance with respect to the characteristics mentioned above, due to the ever increasing need for transportation of goods and the fact that logistics becomes an ever more important part of the value chain of a product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a box casing of the type defined in the introduction being improved in at least some aspect with respect to such box casings already known. This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such a box casing which is characterized in that a majority, pref erably all, of adjacent lateral walls are secured to each other by being interconnected by a corner element having two stiff plate like parts interconnected by a flexible portion and each part is secured by an adhesive to a separate one of two said adjacent walls. The corner elements securing adjacent lateral walls and providing these with reinforcing stiff plate-like parts imply in creased stability of the box casing according to the invention com pared to regular box casings of this type. This means that a box casing provided with such corner elements may for instance be used for heavier loads and enable a more secure stacking of fur ther box casings thereupon, without the need to increase the thickness of the lateral walls, to produce these in more expensive materials or the like. Hence, a box casing is provided which is stable and durable, while at the same time possible to produce at a low cost.

According to an embodiment of the invention each of the stiff plate-like parts of each said corner element is an elongated board configured to be arranged so as to extend along a lateral edge of the lateral wall to which it is secured . The stiff plate-like parts of the corner elements in the form of elongated boards give the box casing a very stable structure, by extending along lateral edges of the lateral walls thereby reinforcing the respective corners of the box casing.

According to another embodiment of the invention each corner element comprises an elongated sheet of a flexible material and the two stiff plate-like parts are secured to the sheet by an adhe- sive at a distance to each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal central section of the sheet, which central section constitutes the flexible portion of the corner element. This configuration of the corner elements enable a simple and cost-effective production thereof while providing corner elements that are durable without fastening means in the form of nails, screws, stapler pins or sim ilar.

According to another embodiment of the invention each corner element extends over at least 90 %, preferably 100 %, of the height of the box casing , between a top and bottom end thereof. Such corner elements give powerful support to the lateral walls resulting in a very stable box casing .

According to another embodiment of the invention the stiff plate- like parts of each said corner element are made of a straw board material. Such a material is due to its strength, durability and moisture resistance very suitable for forming the stiff plate-like parts. Furthermore, it is environmentally friendly and is possible to recycle as paper, which is a common main material for box casings of this type.

According to another embodiment of the invention the flexible por tion of each said corner element is made of a paper or textile material. A paper or textile material is cost-effective and environ mentally friendly, whereby it is suitable for forming the flexible portion of the corner elements.

According to another embodiment of the invention the box casing further comprises a bottom member and a lid. According to another embodiment of the invention the bottom member and/or lid are/is made of corrugated paper.

According to another embodiment of the invention the bottom member and/or lid are/is made of a straw board material.

According to another embodiment of the invention the box casing is made exclusively of biodegradable material(s). A box casing according to the invention may due to its structure be made with out any metal fastening means, such as nails or stapler pins, plas- tic components or harsh chemicals, making it very environmen tally friendly and eliminating the risk of personal injury due to un healthy substances.

According to another embodiment of the invention each corner element has a flexible portion configured to hingedly connect the stiff plate-like parts to each other in such a way as to allow the corner element to be transferred between a flat state, in which both stiff plate-like parts extend in the same plane, and a com pletely folded state in which the plate-like parts has been mutually pivoted substantially 180° around the flexible portion so as to ex tend at least substantially in parallel with each other, so as to allow the lateral walls of the box casing to be folded on top of each other to a flat package by transferring two of the corner el ements to the completely folded state and the remaining corner element(s) to the flat state. Provided with such corner elements the lateral walls of a box casing may be stored and transported as a flat package before use, the box casing is quickly and easily assembled before loading and transport, and thereafter disas sembled when unloaded without any fastening means, tools or loose parts.

According to another embodiment of the invention at least one lateral wall of the box casing is provided with a reinforcing rim extending between corner elements arranged at opposite lateral edges of that wall, preferably along an upper edge thereof. Said reinforcing rim further increases the stability and strength of the box casing structure, making this very durable and suitable for carrying further box casings stacked thereupon and for transport of expensive and/or fragile goods. According to another embodiment of the invention said reinforcing rim is made of a straw board material.

According to another embodiment of the invention the lateral walls are made of corrugated paper.

According to another embodiment of the invention the lateral walls are made of a straw board material.

According to another embodiment of the invention the corner el- ements are arranged on the outside of the box casing and the box casing further comprises reinforcing corner rims interconnecting adjacent lateral walls on the inside of the box casing, wherein each reinforcing corner rim has two plate-like wings each secured by an adhesive to a separate one of two said adjacent lateral walls. Said reinforcing corner rims further increases the stability and strength of the box casing structure. According to another embodiment of the invention the box casing is intended to be used for transport of goods. According to another embodiment of the invention the box casing is a transport box.

According to another embodiment of the invention the box casing has a load volume of at least 50 litres, at least 100 litres, at least 250 litres, at least 500 litres, preferably at least 1000 litres.

The invention also relates to a method for creating a box casing according to the independent method claim. Realizations of, and advantages with, such a method clearly appears from the above and following description of embodiments of a box casing accord ing to the invention.

Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the in vention will appear from the following description of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a specific description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective view from above of a box casing according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above showing the lateral walls of the box casing shown in Fig. 1 folded to a flat package, Fig. 3 is a perspective view from above showing a corner el ement of the box casing shown in Fig. 1 before being secured to two lateral walls of the box casing to be cre ated, and which is in a flat state,

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view from above of the box casing shown in Fig. 1 , showing the different parts in cluded therein, Fig. 5 is a partly exploded perspective view from above of the box casing shown in Fig. 1 , showing the lid, the inter connected lateral walls and the bottom member as sep arate components, and including an enlarged view of an upper portion of a corner of the lateral walls,

Fig. 6 is a simplified perspective view from above of a box casing according to a second embodiment of the inven tion, Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view from above of the box casing shown in Fig. 6, showing the different parts in cluded therein, and

Fig. 8 is a partly exploded perspective view from above of the box casing shown in Fig. 6, showing the lid, the inter connected lateral walls and the bottom member as sep arate components, and including an enlarged view of an upper portion of a corner of the lateral walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVEN TION

Box casings 1 a, 1 b according to a first and second embodiment of the invention are illustrated in the appended figures 1 -5 and 6- 8, respectively, and will now be described while at the same time making reference to all these figures.

The box casings 1 a, 1 b are intended to be used within the field of commercial logistics, such as for storing of goods in a warehouse, for transport of components between different parties in a produc tion chain or for transport of products from a manufacturer to a store. Such box casings intended have a load volume of at least 50 litres, but most commonly between 1000 and 2000 litres.

The box casing 1 a according to the first embodiment of the inven tion, shown in Figs. 1 -5, is a transport box having four lateral walls 2, a bottom member 3 and a lid 4 which are all made of corrugated paper. The bottom member and lid are however not essential components of the box casing, but this could be used directly on a pallet without further bottom member and lid, as one example.

The box casing 1 a further comprises, for each of the four corners thereof, a corner element 5 configured to secure two adjacent lat eral walls 2 with respect to each other at a respective corner of the box casing. Each corner element comprises two stiff plate-like parts 6, in the form of elongated boards of a straw board material, interconnected by a flexible portion 7 which is part of an elon- gated sheet of paper. More specifically, the two stiff plate-like parts 6 are secured to the sheet by an adhesive at a distance to each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal central section of the sheet in such a way that a channel-like space 8 is defined by lateral end faces 9 of the plate-like parts 6 and the central section of the sheet, which central section of the sheet constitutes the flexible portion 7 of the respective corner element 5.

In each corner of the box casing 1 a are the two adjacent lateral walls 2 meeting each other there interconnected and secured to each other by a said corner element 5, and more specifically by that each of the two plate-like parts 6 of the respective corner element is secured by an adhesive to a separate one of the two adjacent lateral walls 2. The flexible portion 7 of each corner el ement 5 hingedly connects the stiff plate-like parts 6 thereof to each other in such a way as to allow each corner element to be transferred between a flat state (see Fig . 3 and reference 5a in

Fig . 2), in which both stiff plate-like parts extend in the same plane, and a completely folded state (see reference 5b in Fig . 2) in which the plate-like parts 6 has been mutually pivoted, with respect to their mutual position in said flat state, substantially 180° around the flexible portion 7 so as to extend at least sub stantially in parallel with each other. The plate-like parts 6 of each corner element form an angle of 90° with each other in an assem bled state of the box casing 1 a, as is understood from Fig. 5, so as to provide this with right-angled inner corners.

Each corner element 5 is configured to, in an assembled state of the box casing 1 a, be arranged at two adjacent lateral walls 2 in such a way that each stiff plate-like part 6 of the respective corner element 5 extends along a lateral edge of the lateral wall to which it is secured , i.e. along an outer edge of said lateral wall extend ing vertically between a top end 10 and a bottom end 1 1 of the box casing 1 a. Furthermore, each corner element extends over the entire height of the box casing, between said top and bottom ends thereof. Accordingly, each corner of the box casing 1 a is reinforced along its entire longitudinal extension by a corner ele ment 5.

The box casing 1 a further comprises two reinforcing rims 12 made of a straw board material, each secured by an adhesive to a re- spective lateral wall 2 constituting a long side of the box casing . Each reinforcing rim extends along an upper edge (defining the top end 10 of the box casing) of the lateral wall to which it is secured, between corner elements 5 arranged at opposite lateral edges of that wall. Each lateral wall provided with a reinforcing rim 12 thus comprises a peripheral frame structure made of a stiff straw board material, formed by said two corner elements 5 and the reinforcing rim 12, which frame structures give the box casing 1 a an excellent strength and stability which for instance allows heavily loaded other box casings to be stacked thereupon. A straw board material is made mainly of straw glued together by straw lignin under heat and pressure. A board made of this mate rial has corresponding bending strength and moisture resistance as a poplar plywood board, but may be recycled as paper. Hence, the straw board material contained in selected components of the box casing 1 a is excellent for providing a box casing with suffi cient strength while at the same time being environmentally friendly.

The box casing 1 a is intended to be delivered to a customer as three separate parts, namely a bottom member 3, a lid 4 and - in the form of a flat package - the lateral walls 2 interconnected by corner elements 5 and provided with reinforcing rims 12 (see Fig. 2). The transport and delivery of the flatly packed interconnected lateral walls 2 in a condition basically ready-for-use is made pos- sible through the configuration of the corner elements 5, and more specifically through the above mentioned hinge-like connection between the two stiff plate-like parts 6 by the flexible portion 7 of each corner element. The flat package with lateral walls 2 interconnected by corner el ements 5 and provided with reinforcing rims 12 comprises four corner elements, of which two diagonally opposing corner ele ments are in the flat state and the other two diagonally opposing corner elements are in the completely folded state (see refer- ences 5a and 5b in Fig. 2, respectively). The box casing 1 a is quickly assembled before use by simply unfolding the package with the already interconnected lateral walls 2 by pulling one of the two corner elements 5 in the flat state away from the other until the inner corners of the box casing to be created are right- angled, and then placing the walls on the bottom member 3 and the lid 4 on top of the walls. The bottom member and the lid pref erably comprise some type of securing means for at least partially securing these components with respect to the walls, such as parts protruding from the peripheral edges thereof configured for form-fitted interlocking with the lateral walls 2 and/or corner ele ments 5.

For disassembling the empty box casing 1 a to for instance be stored or sent back to a logistics provider, the lid 4 is firstly re- moved from the lateral walls 2 and these are then lifted away from the bottom member 3. Thereafter, the interconnected lateral walls 2 are folded to a flat package by pushing two diagonally opposite corners together until the walls 2 collapse so that two of the cor ner elements 5 obtain the completely folded state and the other two obtain the flat state. Hence, assembly and disassembly of the box casing 1 a is done quickly and easily without the need of tools or separate fastening means thanks to the advantageous struc ture thereof. The box casing 1 b according to the second embodiment of the invention, shown in Figs. 6-8, is another transport box. The parts of this box casing 1 b which are not described differently in the description of this below are configured in a similar way and pro vide a similar function as the corresponding parts of the box cas- ing 1 b described above.

This box casing 1 b has four lateral walls 2, a bottom member 3 and a lid 4 which are all made of a straw board material. In addi tion to four corner elements 5 of the type described above secur- ing adjacent lateral walls 2 to each other at the outer sides thereof, the box casing 1 b comprises four reinforcing corner rims 13 interconnecting adjacent lateral walls at the inner sides thereof, i.e. inside the box casing. The reinforcing corner rims 13 are made of corrugated paper and has each two plate-like wings each secured by an adhesive to a separate one of two said adja cent lateral walls 2 at a respective corner of the box casing, so as to strengthen the corner in question . Hence, the strong straw board material of the lid 4, the bottom member 3 and the lateral walls 2 in combination with the structure reinforcing components in the form of said corner elements 5 and reinforcing corner rims 13 result in a very strong box casing 1 b which is well suitable for the transport of heavy duty loads or expensive and fragile prod ucts, and for carrying heavy box casings stacked thereupon. De spite its strong and stable structure is the box casing 1 b according to the second embodiment of the invention quickly and easily as- sembled and disassembled before and after use thereof, respec tively, in the same way as described above regarding the box cas ing 1 a according to the first embodiment of the invention.

The box casings 1 a, 1 b according to both of the embodiments described are made exclusively of biodegradable materials, and even exclusively of materials that may be recycled as paper. This is made possible by the simple yet effective structure of the box casings, and particularly by the corner elements 5 interconnecting the lateral walls 2 in such a way that no other fastening means but adhesive is needed to hold the different parts of the box cas ings together. Preferably, the only materials contained in the box casings are paper, straw board and adhesive.

The adhesive used for securing different parts of the box casings 1 a, 1 b to each other, such as for securing the stiff plate-like parts

6 of a corner element 5 to the lateral walls 2 and the same plate like parts to the sheet of paper constituting the flexible portion 7 of a corner element 5, is an adhesive suitable to be recycled with paper and which contains no toxins or harsh chemicals. Such an adhesive may be based on corn starch, as one example.

A method for creating a box casing 1 a, 1 b according to an em bodiment of the invention is now to be described. The box casing to be created may for instance be any of the two box casings 1 a, 1 b described above, or another type of box casing , such as a pallet collar. The method is preferably performed by a machine, but could also be performed partly or completely by a human. A more detailed description of the configuration, materials etc. of the parts used for creating the box casing may be found in the above description of the box casings 1 a, 1 b according to the first and second embodiments of the invention.

At first, four plates configured to form lateral walls 2 of the box casing to be created are provided, which plates may each have a shape suitable for the intended use of said box casing, such as rectangular or square. Then, for each corner of the box casing 1 a, 1 b to be created, a corner element 5 is provided. Each corner element has two stiff plate-like parts 6 made of a straw board material and interconnected by a flexible portion 7, which is con stituted by a central section of a sheet of paper or a textile, onto which the two plate-like parts 6 are secured by an adhesive at a distance to each other on opposing sides of said central section. Each said plate is then secured at opposite lateral edges thereof to another said plate so as to form adjacent lateral walls 2 of the box casing 1 a, 1 b to be created. This is done by securing each stiff plate-like part 6 of a said corner element 5 by an adhesive to a separate one of two said plates then forming adjacent lateral walls of the box casing. Accordingly, a box casing is created which has four lateral walls 2 together defining an parallelepi peds inner space of the box casing, and in each of the four cor- ners of the box casing are two adjacent said lateral walls inter connected by a said corner element 5 (see Figs. 5 and 8).

The box casing created may be used like this, for instance be placed directly on a pallet to be loaded with goods, or may further be provided with additional components suitable for the intended use thereof, such as a bottom member 3, a lid 4 and different types of stiff reinforcing rims 12, 13 to increase the strength and stability of the box casing. The reinforcing rims 12, 13 are accord ingly not absolutely necessary components of the box casing, but may be used to create box casings with special properties. The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the embod iments thereof described above, but many possibilities to modifi cations thereof will be apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as de- fined in the appended claims.

A box casing is in this disclosure to be interpreted as a box of any shape or a part of such a box defining a space suitable for ac commodating objects to be stored or transported in the box cas- ing. Accordingly, a box casing may be constituted by an arbitrary number of, however at least four, lateral walls and optionally one or more bottom members and/or lids.

The flexible portion of a said corner element is to be considered as being the intermediate part between two said stiff plate-like parts of that corner element, each secured to a separate one of two adjacent lateral walls of a box casing, which flexible portion is configured to function as a hinge between said two lateral walls interconnected by the respective corner element. The flexible por- tion may comprise one or more flexible material layers such as sheets of paper or fabric, a net structure or a plurality of elon gated flexible elements, such as strings or paper strips, as a few examples. Each stiff plate-like part of each corner element may independently have a different shape and appearance than de- scribed above and shown in the drawings, such as having the appearance of a grill. It is of course also possible that the plate like parts are made of another material than straw board, such as wood or a paper based material, although straw board is preferred due to its advantageous properties as described above.