METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A BOX, CONNECTION DEVICE THERE- FOR, BOX AND CONNECTION ELEMENT Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a box, con- sisting of a number of interconnectable parts, where, among other things, an edge portion of one part should be interconnectable with an edge portion for an adjacent part and where the connection is carried out by means applied to each edge por- tion and intended for the connection and where the respective part is produced with dimensions corresponding to the presumed contents of the box and where the edge portion which is intended to be able to fixedly but detachably interact with an adjacent edge portion should be provided with a number of means intended for the connection, where the means intended for a first edge portion are attached thereto irrespective of expected orientation or position of the means intended for adjacent edge portion, and the means intended for adjacent edge portion are attached thereto irrespective of orientation or position of the means intended for said first edge portion, whereupon a number of parts are orientated adjacent each other so that edge portions having the above-mentioned means are brought against each other, one or more means of the first edge portion being brought to interaction with one or more such means on adjacent edge portion which at the orientation has turned out to correspond with each other, and a separate connection element is arranged for connection of corresponding means which connection element has a first end portion having a hook for interaction with one of the means of the first edge portion and a second end portion for interaction with one of the means of the adjacent edge portion by means of a part of the connection element situated at said second end portion being folded round said means of the adjacent edge por- tion.

The invention also includes a device in order to be able to fixedly but detachably connect an edge portion of a first part with an adjacent edge portion of a second part, where the respective edge portion is formed with a number of means intended for the connection.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a box provided with at least one such connection device and to a connection element intended to be used in such a connection device.

Prior Art It is previously known, per se, to produce a box, where the box consists of a number of interconnectable parts, and where an edge portion of one part should be connectable with an edge portion of an adjacent part and where the connection is carried out by means applied to each edge portion and intended for the connec- tion.

Thus, in the German Offenlegungsschriften 21 02 033, it is previously known that to an edge portion apply a metal strip bent to the angle, which is formed with a number of slots and where the slots have been allotted a common length and width and with the distance between juxtaposed slots having a fixed value. Metal tabs are applied to the second edge portion, having a width some- what lesser than the width of the corresponding slot. When one of the parts is to be brought to interaction with the second part, the tab is thus to be inserted into the corresponding slot, whereupon the tab is bent 180° round a portion of the strip and thereby a fixed but detachable connection between the edge portions is obtained.

Also a number of previously known methods and devices for production of boxes utilize metal strips as fastening means.

It has proven to be especially advantageous to let all the parts of the box, the side pieces, the bottom and/or the lid, be manufactured from plywood, the edge portions becoming reinforced by the metal strip bent in an angle at the same time as said strip will serve as a means intended for the connection.

A utilization of the previously known manner for the manufacture of a box implies a thorough work of alignment between the slots of the metal strip applied to an edge portion and the tabs connected to the adjacent edge portion. Further- more, this implies that the method of producing boxes becomes especially advan- tageous merely at the production of a large number of standardized boxes, as the adjustment times of the machines that are to apply metal strips to an edge portion exactly in relation to the slots in the metal strip, becomes cumbersome.

In this respect, it has become apparent that a need to provide such condi- tions that boxes should be able to manufacture in the form of standard model boxes as in the form of custom design boxes, normally of a series less numerous than at standard model boxes, without the need to alter the settings of the

machines in the chain of production.

By SE 422 823 such conditions have been provided that the means, which are intended for an edge portion, may be fastened irrespective of expected orien- tation or position of the means for adjacent edge portion and moreover that the means, intended for adjacent edge portion also may be fastened irrespective of expected orientation or position of the means for the edge portion.

Said SE 422 823 thus represented a considerable improvement which has enabled an efficient manufacture and design of boxes in short series. However, it can be noted that the connection device that is described therein does not entirely bring about an entirely stable structural connection between side pieces. This is due to the fact that a play arises when the connection member that is part of the connection device is folded round the means at the respective end edge. This depends upon the connection member with one of the ends thereof initially being brought in interaction with the means of one of the edge portions to a well-defined position. When the second end thereof is to be folded round the means of the sec- ond edge portion, the position of the folding line will be decided by the relative position of the means and the connection member. Thereby no contractive tensile force is obtained. If the end edges are not kept pressed firmly against each other during the assembling, a play is thereby incurred, i. e. the distance between the hook and the folding line is larger than it should need to be. The implication is that the connection may become unstable and implies a risk of the box breaking up.

The object of the present invention is, in the above-described circum- stances, to provide a method for manufacturing a box and a connection device that enables that this problem is eliminated and that the box becomes stable by means of rigidly joined edges.

Description of the Invention The set up object is from a first aspect of the invention attained by a method for manufacturing a box of the kind defined in the preamble of the claim 1 comprising the special measure that the connection element is folded along a folding line defining means arranged on the connection element.

Thus, thanks to the folding being carried out along a predetermined line, the distance between the hook and the folding line becomes predetermined and well defined. Thereby, the distance may be adapted so that it corresponds to an

abutment of the end portions against each other where these are pressed together. The risks of play are eliminated and the box becomes stable and robust.

From a second aspect of the invention, the set up object has been attained by a connection device of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1 comprising the special feature that the connection element at the second end por- tion thereof is provided with a folding line defining means. The invented connection device has advantages of the corresponding kind as the invented method and that have been accounted for above.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invented connection device, the connection element consists of a piece of sheet metal, which is provided with at least one stamping, one end of which forms the folding line defining means. The stamping implies a simple way of achieving a significant change of the bending stress of the element. The change appears just at the end of the stamping so that a folding line defining means formed. Preferably, two stampings are arranged beside each other.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the connection element has a change of width at the folding line defining means. The change of width may, if it is sufficiently accentuated, in itself constitute the folding line defining means. However, a more limited change of width is for reasons of strength to prefer and will then only constitute an increment of the folding line defining means.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the connection element is angled at the folding line defining means to an angle in the interval of 5°-15°. The angle entails an easy gripping of the end portion situated beyond the folding line defining means so as to fold round the same around the means of the second edge portion.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the connection element is provided with a slot situated between the folding line defining means and the second end. Thereby, you can, by bending with a tool such as, e. g. , a screwdriver easily fold up the end portion, which facilitates the connection.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the hook is formed by the first end portion being bent around at least 180°. Thereby, the connection element will be retained by the same so that it does not risk to fall off before fixing has been effected also at the second means. When the angle exceeds 180°, a certain

clamping action is attained which further amplifies this effect.

By the third aspect of the invention, a box is obtained which utilizes the advantages that the invented connection device entails and by the fourth aspect of the invention, a connection element that constitutes an important component of the invented connection device is provided.

The invention will be closer explained by the subsequent detailed descrip- tion of advantageous embodiment examples of the same, reference being made to the appended drawing figures.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows in perspective view a box with fastening means only given schematically, Figure 2 shows on an enlarged scale a corner of the box according to figure 1, and with the fastening means being clearer indicated, Figure 3 shows in front view two fastening means and a connection member and where the member interacts with the corresponding fastening means, Figure 4 shows a section IV-IV of figure 3, Figure 5 shows a section IV-IV of figure 3, Figure 6 shows in planar view a connection element Figure 6a shows a section VI-VI through the connection element of fig. 6, Figure 7 shows a separate angle hinge and Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a metal strip with fastening means formed therein.

Description of Embodiment Example Thus, with reference to figure 1, a box 1 is shown in perspective view, having four side pieces 2,3, 4 and 5 as well as a bottom part 6. The box 1 may very well be provided with a lid, which lid however has not been shown in figure 1.

Thus, the device provided according to the invention, in order to fixedly but detachably be able to connect an edge portion of a first part to an adjacent edge portion of a second part, may be arbitrarily utilized for those edge portions that have been formed at the construction of the box 1.

However, with the aim of simplification, the subsequent description will only comprise the device that is illustrated to interact with the side piece 4 and the side piece 5.

Thus, in figures 1 and 2 a device is shown in order to fixedly but detach- ably connect an edge portion 4a of a second side piece 5 of a box. The respective edge portion is formed with a number of means intended for the connection. Thus, the means 7 of one of the edge portions 4a and the means 8 of the second edge portion 5a are mutually formed so that irrespective of the orientation or the position along the longitudinal extension of the respective edge portion, the same exhibit means corresponding to each other and interactable with each other. In figure 2, said means have been given the reference designation 7a and 8a.

A separate connection element 9 is arranged to interact with means 7a, 8a corresponding to each other by inserting the connection member, in the form of a folded sheet metal, into the means 8a formed as a strap and the means 7a formed as a strap. For the sake of simplicity, the connection element 9 is only symbolically illustrated in fig. 2. Its factual shape is better seen in fig. 6 and fig. 6a.

It is also seen that the means 7b does not constitute such a corresponding means but that on the other hand the means 7c likewise constitutes a means cor- responding to the means 8a.

This denotes that only certain means, in the worst case only the means 7a, of one of the edge portions is arranged to correspond with discrete means 8a of the second edge portion. Thus, the means 8a consists of separate members that are attached to the edge portion 5a.

Accordingly, the means of one of the edge portions 4a has the form of a number of straps or slots oriented after each other formed to a strip. The strip con- sists of a metal strip with hobbings or punchings in order to form straps or slots as well as fastening members, not shown in the figure, formed at the part 7'in order to clamp the strip 7 against the edge portion 4a.

Thus, with reference to figure 2, it is evident that a side piece 4 is, along an edge portion 4a, provided with an edging, which along the length thereof is pro- vided with a number of straps or slots attached at a distance from each other and where a second side piece 5 is, along an edge portion 5a, provided with a number of straps or slots attached at a distance from each other and that a connection member in the form of a folded sheet metal 9 connects the corresponding straps to

each other.

The edging 7 is folded so that a part 7', by means of fastening members not shown in the figure, is attached to the edge portion 4a of the side piece and a part 7"forms an angle thereat and is arranged to extend past the end surface 4a' of the side piece and some distance along the edge portion 5a of the adjacent side piece. Furthermore, the straps or the slots are formed at a distance from the fold- ing line 10 and in the part that is arranged to extend along the edge portion 5a of the adjacent side piece 5.

Furthermore, figure 2 illustrates that the straps 7a, 7b or the slots in the strip are mutually designed with the same length and with the same distance between adjacent straps or slots. Corresponding straps 8a or slots are of a length which is equal to or exceeds the distance 7a'between the straps 7a, 7c or the slots of the strip and double the width of the separate connection element 9.

It is evident that the folded edge strip 7 advantageously also may be fas- tened to a bottom and/or a lid and where then the fastening means 8 in the form of straps or slots 8a may be oriented along the side portions.

Furthermore, the straps or the slots are oriented in such a way that these diminish or prevent penetration of water. This is most conveniently accomplished by having the slot of the part 7"be positioned adjacent the end surface 4a'but at a distance of the folding line 10. These provisions should especially pertain to the bottom and lid, where it is becomes important to let the adjoining edge portions be mitred.

With reference to figure 3, the arrangement according to figure 2 is shown in planar view and where the connection element 9 is shown folded round the fastening means 7a and the fastening means 8a, so that the end portions 9a and 9b will be positioned on top of the fastening means. Furthermore, figure 3 illus- trates that the fastening means 8a may assume a position separated from the one that is shown in figure 2, without thereby jeopardizing an interaction between the means 7a and the fastening means 8a by means of the connection element 9.

In the position which the fastening means 8a has received in figure 2, the same may be brought to interaction either with the fastening means 7a or 7c, while in the position which the fastening means 8a has received in figure 3 the connec- tion element 9 may interact either with the fastening means 7a or 7b. In each other intermediate position, interaction can only take place between the means 7a and

8a. Thus, the interesting thing is that for each setting that the means 8a has received, the same means will always be oriented in connection to a correspond- ing means 7a or 7b or 7c.

Figure 4 shows a section IV-IV in figure 3 and figure 5 shows a section V-V in figure 3. Corresponding parts have been given the corresponding refer- ence designation.

In fig. 6, the connection element 9 is shown in a planar view from above.

The connection element 9 consists of a piece of plate metal and has an intermedi- ate portion 9c, a first end portion 9a and a second end portion 9b. The connection element 9 is furthermore shown in fig. 6a in a section along the line VI-VI in fig.

6.

The first end portion 9a is bent around back in relation to the intermediate portion where the folding is somewhat more than 180°. Furthermore, the end por- tion 9a is slightly bent backwards furthest out.

The second end portion 9b forms a small angle to the intermediate portion 9c. The angle is approx. 5°. On the second end portion 9b, two stampings 9d, 9e are arranged. The stampings 9d, 9e have the ends thereof turned towards the intermediate portion 9c situated just opposite each other laterally. Closely inside of said stampings 9d, 9e, the connection element 9 has a considerable lower section modulus in the latitudinal direction than the corresponding section modulus trans- verse the punchings. Thereby, a folding line defining means is formed represented by the dashed the line 0-0. In the area of the folding line defining means, the connection element 9 furthermore has a neck portion 9f of a lesser width than the rest of the element.

Furthermore, the connection element 9 is provided with a slot 9g on the second end portion 9b.

When the connection element is to be used to connect the parts of the box 4,5 (see fig. 2) to each other by interaction of the means 7,8 on the respective box part 4,5, the proceeding is as follows.

The connection element 9 is provided in the state shown in figs. 6 and 6a and is pushed from the position shown in fig. 2 (where the element 9 is drawn in a simplified way) with the second end part 9b thereof initially through the strap 8a on the edge portion 5a of the box part 5 and further through the strap 7a on the edge

portion 4a of the box part 4. When the connection element 9 is entirely inserted, the first end part 9a thereof will enclose the strap 8a in a clip-like manner thanks to the shape thereof illustrated in fig. 6a. The second end part now protrudes outside the strap 7a.

After that, you fold up the second end portion 9b backwards around the strap 7a almost 180° in order to achieve the state schematically illustrated in fig. 3.

The folding is facilitated by the end portion 9b being slightly angled upwards, and the folding is easily carried out by means of, e. g. , a screwdriver, thanks to the slot<BR> 9g.

The distance between the fold-around edge 9h of the first end portion and the ends of the stampings 9d, 9e facing the intermediate portion 9c is selected so that the edge portions 4a, 5a of the box are kept against each other when the sec- ond end portion 9b protrudes outside of the strap 7a so much that the stampings 9d, 9e are positioned just outside the strap 7a. Therefore, at folding of the end portion 9b, the fold will arise along the line 0-0. This is due to the strap 7a imped- ing that folding takes place closer to the intermediate portion 9c, and as a conse- quence of the stampings 9d, 9e the increase of section modulus prevents that folding takes place at the end portion 9b, i. e. outside the line 0-0. The conse- quence is that the box sections 4,5 are pressed together by the compulsory shape interlocking defined by the predetermined distance between the fold-around edge 9h and the folding line 0-0.

Without in this manner predetermining the position of the folding line 0-0, the folding would arise further out on the end portion 9b with the ensuing play and the inconveniences associated thereby which have been accounted for in the pre- amble of the description.

With reference to figure 7, a separate corner reinforcement is illustrated, which is arranged to be able to be fastened either to the lid or to the bottom and to one or more of the corners of the box. Hereby, opportunities are given to dimen- sion the corner reinforcement stronger than the metal strips formed by means of the fastening means. What is required here is to only ensure that the metal strips do not extend out to the corner but a distance that approximately equals the size of the corner reinforcement is left here. The corner reinforcement 11 is formed with two arms 12,13, the free end 12a and 13a, respectively, of which are formed with a cantilevering to be able to enclose an end of a metal strip. In figure 7 it has also

been illustrated that the corner reinforcement has been provided with an additional tongue 14,14a, although this of course could be omitted.

Finally, with reference being made to figure 8, an alternative embodiment of a metal strip is shown, similar to the metal strip 7. This metal strip has a plane surface 15 intended to be fastened to the side piece 4, by way of fastening mem- bers, not shown in the figure, and is formed with an angular part 16. The edge portion consists here of an angular strip with a first part attached to the edge por- tion 4 and a second part extending towards adjacent edge portion 5a. The second part is formed with a recess 18. The slot has been given the reference designation 19. At the reference designation 20, the strip is bent to an angle of 180° as a rein- forcement measure. In this way, opportunities to pile a number of lids or bottom portions on each other are given.

The above-described embodiment illustrates very clearly that the number of fastening means 8 may be chosen arbitrarily along an edge portion and the number is selected depending on the weight distribution, the size of the box and so on.

Furthermore, it is evident that storage of ready-made side pieces in a sim- ple manner may be effected without having tabs protruding therefrom, which may cause damage and may be damaged.

Furthermore, the construction is so arranged, that even in the case of large boxes the connection members can easily be brought to interaction with the corresponding fastening means. Furthermore, the fastening means are formed so that they do not exhibit any part that extends above the upper edge portion of the box.

In view of a separate connection element being utilized, it is also possible to, in a simple way, open the box for customs inspection and the like. However, should tabs of the connection element break, a new one may readily be inserted.

Special consideration should be given that the embodiment of the connec- tion element may be provided with holes and through which holes a thread of a seal may be inserted and thereby the box can be sealed in a simple way.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the above embodiment disclosed as example but may undergo modifications within the scope of the subsequent claims.