Title: Foldable box and method for manufacturing a foldable box

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable box and to a method for manufacturing a foldable box according to the preamble of the independent claims.

Foldable boxes are known from the market. They are used for shipping objects from a sender to a receiver. Known foldable boxes are for example made from cardboard. They are manufactured in the form of a flat unfolded unitary body with a number of wall elements and closing flaps.

These wall elements and closing flaps are bent about unitary hinge type material bridges such that in the erected folded condition a rectangular hollow body is formed. After the object has been shipped and received by the receiver, the cardboard box is disposed.

Another known type of foldable box for shipping objects from a sender to a receiver is manufactured from a hard plastic material. Hinges are provided which allow to pivot walls relative to each other. With this type of foldable box, the flat condition may be called a "folded" condition because some adjacent wall elements are pivoted about the connecting hinges about an angle of 180 degrees such that they are parallel and immediately adjacent to each other. The erected condition may be called an "unfolded" condition because some adjacent wall elements are pivoted about the connecting hinges from the parallel condition about an angle of 90 degrees such that they are orthogonal to each other.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable box having less weight and improved material characteristics .

This object is achieved by means of a foldable box and a method for manufacturing a foldable box with the features of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

The invention provides for a lightweight reusable foldable box having thermal insulation properties. The foldable box according to the invention is particularly suited for transporting seafood, pharmaceutical articles, other food articles, e-commerce, et cetera. The box in its erected unfolded condition has a rectangular shape having a bottom wall and four sidewalls. Because these five walls are formed as one unitary body, the box can easily be manufactured. The unitary body is formed from an expanded plastic material comprising a multitude of micro-cavities which reduces the overall density and therefore the overall weight of the box while maintaining a high stability and rigidity. In operation, the box may be erected into its unfolded condition for shipment of an object, and may be folded into a flat condition in order to be returned to the sender without occupying much space. It is to be noted that all or some of the walls of the foldable box may comprise a surface layer made by a a hard and stiff, respectively, plastic material to increase the stability of the foldable box. The surface layer may be manufactured by overmolding.

In a further embodiment the unitary body is formed from expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene or other foams. These materials provide superior properties to the foldable box, such as an improved ratio of rigidity and stability over weight. Furthermore, these materials are cheap and can easily be processed. It is particularly preferred to use recycled expanded polystyrene.

In a further embodiment the unitary body is molded as a generally flat structure. Such a flat structure can easily be molded, since the mold cavity may be generally flat. In a further embodiment at least one hinge between two adjacent walls is unitary with the walls. Such a hinge may be realized by a material bridge having a smaller thickness than the adjacent walls. This type of hinge may be called "film hinge". Additionally, in the case that the walls of the box are made from a foam material, the material bridges may be manufactured by compressing the foam in order to obtain a relatively high density but thin hinge. In a further embodiment the box comprises at least one separate hinge connecting an edge portion of a wall to either a surface portion of another wall or an edge portion of another wall. A separate hinge may be specifically adapted to fulfil the hinge function over a long period of time, which may increase the usable lifetime of the foldable box according to the invention.

In a further embodiment hereto the separate hinge is formed from a hard plastic material. Such a material provides an increased stability.

In a further embodiment hereto an attachment of the separate hinge to the edge portion and/or the surface portion comprises a form fit connection portion, which allows to easily attach the separate hinge to the edge portion and/or the surface portion without the need of additional fixation means such as bolts, screws, glue, or the like. In a further embodiment the configuration of connections between adjacent walls is the same in a flat folded condition and in an erected unfolded condition. The "same configuration" means that adjacent walls are continuously connected to each other both in the flat folded condition and in the erected unfolded condition and that it is not necessary to establish any connection or attachment, respectively, when the box is transferred from the flat folded condition into the erected unfolded condition. This allows the box to be manually brought by a user from a folded flat condition into an unfolded erected condition and vice versa without any additional connecting operations being necessary. The invention therefore provides a box which can be brought form the flat folded configuration into the unfolded erected configuration and vice versa in one step, that is "automatically".

In a further embodiment hereto adjacent side walls are continuously connected to each other both in the flat folded condition and in the erected unfolded condition either directly or indirectly by means of a preferably triangularly shaped intermediate wall. Such a triangularly shaped intermediate wall has proven to provide the necessary additional wall length in the flat folded condition as well as in the erected unfolded condition.

In summary, the inventive box is a device that effectively protects the products it contains. It is made of mono material by molding foams of expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene and other foams. Hinges allow the box to have different conditions, that is the above-mentioned folded and unfolded conditions. When the product is in its folded flat condition, it is sufficient to simply rotate a front wall or pull the cover so that the box switches from the flat folded condition into the unfolded erected condition. The front wall can accommodate customizable elements such as the address or technical elements.

Furthermore, the basic structure of the foldable box according to the invention can be molded as a generally flat structure, such that the corresponding mold has a relatively small dimension.

Embodiments of the invention are now explained with reference to the attached drawing. In the drawings show

Figure 1 a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a foldable box as a generally flat structure after being molded;

Figure 2 a schematic perspective view of the first embodiment of a foldable box in a first intermediate condition during the transfer from a flat folded condition into an erected unfolded condition;

Figure 3 a schematic perspective view similar to figure 2 in a second intermediate condition; Figure 4 a schematic perspective view of the first embodiment of a foldable box in its erected unfolded condition with open cover;

Figure 5 a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a foldable box in its flat folded condition;

Figure 6 a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of a foldable box in its erected unfolded condition with closed covers;

Figure 7 a schematic perspective view of the third embodiment of a foldable box in its erected unfolded condition with open covers;

Figure 8 a schematic perspective view of the third embodiment of a foldable box in its flat folded condition;

Figure 9 a schematic perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a foldable box in its erected unfolded condition with closed covers;

Figure 10 a schematic perspective view of the fourth embodiment of a foldable box in an intermediate condition; Figure 11 a schematic perspective view of the fourth embodiment of a foldable box in its flat folded condition;

Figure 12 a schematic perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a foldable box in its flat folded condition;

Figure 13 a schematic perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a foldable box in its erected unfolded condition with closed covers;

Figure 14 a schematic perspective view of the sixth embodiment of a foldable box in an intermediate condition;

Figure 15 a schematic perspective view of the sixth embodiment of a foldable box in its flat folded condition;

Figure 16 a front view of a separate hinge as used in the first embodiment of the foldable box;

Figure 17 a schematic perspective view of the hinge of figure 16;

Figure 18 a sectional view of the hinge of figure 16 and two adjacent side walls of the first embodiment of the foldable box; Figure 19 a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a separate hinge;

Figure 20 an exploded sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of a separate hinge;

Figures 21-26 sectional views of further embodiments of separate hinges;

Figures 27-29 perspective views on a further specific embodiment of an hinge attachment to a box wall;

Figure 30 an exploded sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of a separate hinge;

Figure 31 a schematic perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of a separate hinge; and

Figure 32 a schematic sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of a separate hinge and its attachment to a box wall.

In the drawings, functionally equivalent elements and portions of different embodiments have the same reference numerals. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity and simplicity, in some figures not all reference numerals are drawn. Figures 1-4 relate to a first embodiment of a foldable box 10. The box 10 is molded in one shot as a generally flat structure 11 as shown in figure 1. It comprises a number of wall portions, which constitute, when the foldable box 10 is in its unfolded erected condition as shown in figure 4, a rectangular bottom wall 12, a rectangular front wall 14, a first rectangular side wall 16, a second rectangular side wall 18, a rectangular rear wall 20 and a rectangular cover 22. These six walls 12-22 define, in the unfolded erected condition of the box 10, a cuboid type box, as is shown in figure 4. Furthermore, the six walls 12-22 form one single unitary body formed from an expanded plastic material, preferably formed from expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene or other foams. As is schematically indicated in figures 1-3 by thick black edges and explicitly drawn in figure 4, the walls 12-22 have a relatively important discrete wall thickness which may be from 8 to 50 mm.

As can be seen from figure 1 and as will be further explained hereinbelow, the first and second rectangular side walls 16 and 18 are essentially formed by first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26, respectively, and first and second triangular wall portions 28 and 30, respectively. The triangular wall portions 24 and 26 are unitary with the trapezoid wall portions 16 and 18, respectively, by means of respective film hinges 32. Similarly, the rectangular front wall 14, the first rectangular side wall 16, the second rectangular side wall 18 and the rectangular rear wall 20 are unitary with the rectangular bottom wall 12 by means of respective film hinges 32. The rectangular cover 22 is unitary with the rectangular rear wall 20 again by means of a film hinge 32.

It may be noted that the film hinges 32 may be in the form of relatively thin material bridges which may be manufactured during or after molding the generally flat structure 11 by compressing the foam in order to obtain a relatively high density but relatively thin material bridge functioning as a hinge. It is also to be noted that the term "film hinge" is to be understood in a broad sense and not limited to classical very thin film type material bridges.

Dotted lines symbolize separate hinges 34 which either directly connect edges of adjacent walls or indirectly connect edges of adjacent walls by means of generally triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36. In the latter case, the separate hinges 34 are preferably inclined at an angle of approx. 45° relative to the bottom wall 12. It may be understood that the thickness of the walls of the box 10 may be selected to be suitable for the specific use and material, except in the regions where the separate hinges 34 have to be connected. In these regions a sufficient thickness must be provided for stability reasons.

As can be seen from figures 1-4, triangularly shaped intermediate walls 26 are connected by the separate hinges 34 to a surface portion of the rear wall 20, and are connected by film hinges 32 to the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 of the first and second rectangular side walls 16 and 18, respectively. In the unfolded erected condition of the box 10, these triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 are parallel and directly adjacent to rear wall 20, as is shown in figure 4.

As can be seen from figures 1-4, the configuration of connections between adjacent walls by the separate hinges 34 is the same in the (almost) flat folded condition (figure 2) and in the erected unfolded condition (figure 4). This means that front wall 14 and adjacent side wall 16 as well as front wall 14 and adjacent side wall 18 are continuously connected to each other both in the flat folded condition and in the erected unfolded condition directly by means of the separate hinges 34. Similarly, real wall 20 and adjacent first sidewall 16 as well as rear wall 20 and adjacent second sidewall 18 are continuously connected to each other both in the flat folded condition and in the erected unfolded condition either indirectly by means of the triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 and separate hinges 34.

As can be seen from the difference between figures 1 and 4, in order to transform the generally flat structure 11 of figure 1 into the erected unfolded condition as shown in figure 4, the front wall 14 and the first and second side walls 16 and 18 are pivoted about the film hinges 32 by approximately 90 degrees such that the separate hinges 34 of first and second triangular wall portions 28 and 30 can be connected to lateral side edge portions 38 of the front wall 14. As will be shown further below, to this end the separate hinges 34 may comprise a form fit connection portion which is complementary to a form fit connection portion at the lateral side edge portions 38 of the front wall 14.

Furthermore, the rear wall 20 is pivoted about the film hinge 32 by approximately 90 degrees such that the separate hinges 34 at the triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 can be connected to a surface portion 40 of the rear wall 20. Again, as will be shown further below, to this end the separate hinges 34 may comprise a form fit connection portion which is complementary to a slit type form fit connection portion 42 in the surface portion 40 of rear wall 20.

In order to transform the foldable box 10 from the erected unfolded condition as shown in figure 4 into the (almost) folded flat condition as shown in figure 2, the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 of side walls 16 and 18 are pushed inwardly, and rear wall 20 with cover 22 is pushed outwardly, as is indicated by arrows 43 in figure 3. In the course of the transformation, as can be seen from figures 2 and 3, the separate hinges 34 remain connected to the front wall 14 and the rear wall 20.

In the folded and fully flat condition (not shown), the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 are parallel and directly adjacent to the bottom wall 12. The first and second triangular wall portions 28 and 30 are parallel and directly adjacent to the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26, respectively. The front wall 14 is directly adjacent to the first and second triangular wall portions 28 and 30. The rear wall 20 is almost in the same plane as bottom wall 12, while the triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 are parallel and directly adjacent to the rear wall 20. The cover 22 is pivoted from the position as shown in figure 2 by almost 180 degrees towards the remainder of the foldable box 10 such that it is parallel and directly adjacent to those parts of the rear wall 20, which are not covered by the triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 and to the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the foldable box 10 in an almost flat unfolded condition. In this embodiment, the connection of the side walls 16 and 18 to the front wall 14 is similar to the connection of the side walls 16 and 18 to the rear wall 20 according to the embodiment of figures 1-4. To this end, the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 are rectangular, and triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36 are provided which connect the side walls 16 and 18 to a surface portion 44 of front wall 14.

Other than with the embodiment of figures 1-4, in order to transform the foldable box 10 of figure 5 from its erected folded into the almost flat unfolded condition as shown in figure 5, the front wall 14 is pivoted about the film hinge 32 outwardly such that it comes to lie essentially in the same plane as the bottom wall 12. Figures 6-8 show another alternative embodiment of the box 10. In this embodiment, the connection of the side walls 16 and 18 to the rear wall 14 is similar to the connection of the embodiment of figures 1-4 of the side walls 16 and 18 to the front wall 20. To this end, the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 are symmetrical, and third and fourth triangular wall portions 46 and 48 are provided which connect the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 of side walls 16 and 18 to lateral side edge portions 50 of rear wall 20. Furthermore, in the embodiment of figures 6-8, the cover 22 is split into two cover portions 22a and 22b, each being connected by a respective film hinge 32 to the front wall 14 and the rear wall 20, respectively.

Other than with the embodiment of figures 1-4, in order to transform the foldable box 10 of figures 6-8 from its erected folded condition (figures 6 and 7) into the flat unfolded condition as shown in figure 8, the front wall 14, the first and second trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 and the rear wall 20 are pivoted about the respective film hinges 32 inwardly such that they come to lie essentially parallel and adjacent the bottom wall 12.

Figures 9-11 show another alternative embodiment of the box 10. The folding principles in this embodiment are the same as those of the embodiment of figure 5, while the design of the cover 22 is the same as that of the embodiment of figures 6-8. Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the box 10 in the condition of the generally flat structure 11. This box 10 does not having any separate hinge but is molded in one single shot as one unitary flat body together with all film hinges 32 (in order to ease the readability of figure 12, not all film hinges are provided with reference signs). In order to allow to transform the box 10 from an unfolded flat condition into an erected folded condition and vice versa, each of the side walls 16 and 18 comprises two triangular wall portions 28 and 30, respectively and two triangularly shaped intermediate walls 36. The triangular wall portions 28 and 30 connect to triangularly shaped intermediate walls 52 which connect to the front wall 14.

Figures 13-15 show another alternative embodiment of the foldable box 10. In this embodiment, the connection of the sidewalls 16 and 18 to the rear wall 20 is similar to the embodiment of figures 1-4. The side walls 16 and 18 comprise rectangular trapezoid wall portions 24 and 26 and each side wall 16 and 18 comprises two triangular wall portions 28 and 30 respectively which are attached to the lateral side edge portions 38 of front wall 14 by means of separate hinges 34.

Figures 16-18 show a first embodiment of a separate hinge 34, as it may be used e.g. in the embodiment of figures 1- 4. Separate hinge 34 is formed as a unitary body from a hard plastic material. It comprises a film type flexible hinge portion 54 and two identical fixation portions 56 comprising form fit portions 58 which may be inserted in the corresponding form fit connection portions 42, which may be realized as grooves in walls 14 and 16, 14 and 18, and 20 and 36, in order to be fixedly attached in a form fit manner.

Figure 19 relates to a second embodiment of a separate hinge 34, comprising two distant film type hinge portions 54a and 54b and an intermediate portion 60.

Figure 20 relates to a third embodiment of a separate hinge 34 comprising a first fixation portion 56a similar to the one of figures 16-18 and a second fixation portion 56b which provides for a clamp type form fit fixation.

Figures 21-26 show further embodiments of separate hinges 34 with various types of fixation portions 56, at the example of a connection between the first triangular wall portion 28 of side wall 16 and the lateral side edge portion 38 of front wall 14 of the foldable box of figures 1-4. However, it is to be noted that of course the exemplary hinges 34 may also be used with other embodiments of foldable boxes 10 and at other locations of these foldable boxes 10.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 21 is similar to that of figure 20. However, the location of the flexible hinge portion 54 is different in that it is at the end of the second fixation portion 56b which provides for a clamp type form fit fixation. The separate hinge 34 of figure 22 comprises a first fixation portion 56a which is identical to that of figure 20, however comprising a second fixation portion 56b which is identical to the first fixation portion 56a.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 23 is identical to that of figures 16-18. However, its second fixation portion 56b is attached to a wall portion 62 extending orthogonally from the front wall 14.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 24 has first and second fixation portions 56a and 56b each providing a clamp type form fit fixation. Additionally, instead of a film type flexible hinge portion, a rigid articulation comprising an articulation axis 64 and an outer articulation sleeve 66. The articulation sleeve 66 is fixed to a holding arm 68 extending from the first fixation portion 56a. The stiffness of the holding arm 68 may be increased by providing a stiffening rip 70.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 25 is similar to that of figure 24, however the articulation axis 64 being attached directly to the first fixation portion 56a without any holding arm.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 26 is similar to that of figure 25, however the first fixation portion 56a being similar to the embodiment of figures 16-18. Figures 27-29 show an alternative embodiment of a fixation portion 56 providing a clamp type form fit fixation.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 30 is similar to that of figure 19, however without an intermediate portion.

The separate hinge 34 of figure 31 is plug type having an articulation axis (not visible) and an articulation sleeve (not visible).

The separate hinge 34 of figure 32 has a fixation portion 56 providing a clamp type form fit fixation and an articulation axis 64 which is situated inside the fixation portion 56.