Box Closing Insert
A plastic box closure device for releasably engaging the flaps of a box has a lower element with portions extending in a first plane, and an upper element connected to the lower element by a web which spaces the two elements apart to receive parts of the container flaps. The upper element may be concaved such that the outer portions are biased against the flaps received in the device. The upper element may alternatively have downwardly extending resilient fins to engage the flaps within the device. The device is preferably constructed to be fabricated in a plastic or similar extrusion process.
Not applicable.
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTNot applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to devices for releasably closing cartons and boxes.
The conventional corrugated cardboard carton or box typically has four top flaps, one extending from each of four side walls. The outer top flaps overlie the inner top flaps, forming a double thickness of corrugated material. An effective closure or seal can be ensured by applying strapping tape, staples, or the like. The carton may also be closed by interleaving the top flaps one with other, although this method of closure will tend to distort the box flaps and is not always satisfactory. In my U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,545,801 and 7,284,688, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, I disclosed molded box closure devices having generally disc-shaped configurations providing a convenient reusable closure for cartons readily fabricated in an injection molding process.
What is needed is a resuable box closure device which is of constant cross section such that it may be fabricated through a plastic or other extrusion process, yet which is easily and securely mounted to close a box.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe box closure device of this invention facilitates the fast and certain installation and easily releasable engagement of the flaps of a box in a closed configuration. The device has a lower element which extends generally in a first plane. An upper element is connected to the lower element by a web, such that portions of the box flaps' upper and lower surfaces are engaged between the upper element and the lower element. The upper element may extend outwardly from both sides of the web less than the lower element, and may be concave opening downwardly towards the lower element.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a box closure device which is easily manipulated and speedily installed to close the flaps of a box and which does not interfere with the stacking of one closed box upon another.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a box closure device which has a constant cross-section to permit its ready fabrication from plastic or similar material in an extrusion process.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring more particularly to
As shown in
The upper element 36 is constructed to resiliently engage the flaps inserted between it and the lower element, and to accommodate some variation in the thickness of the flaps to be grasped therebetween. The upper element 36 has a first part 40 which extends outwardly in a first direction from the web 38 along a first line of attachment 42 which is spaced a first distance from the lower element, and a second part 44 which extends from the web in a second direction from the web along a second line of attachment 46 which is spaced from the lower element a second distance, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. As shown in FIG. The first part 40 is continuous with the second part 44, so that the upper element defines an uninterrupted surface.
The first part 40 has an outer edge 48 and the second part 44 has an outer edge 50, each of which outer edges 48 are spaced from the lower element a distance which is less than the spacing of the parts 40, 44 respectively where they extend from the web. The first part and the second part are resilient to be biased against the box first flap and second flap received between the upper element and the lower element. As shown in
The installation of the box closure device 20 in a conventional box 22 is illustrated in
The closure device 20 holds the box flaps from springing upward, yet may readily be removed without significantly damaging the box. Hence the box may be used multiple times. Even when the box is too worn to be used again, the closure device 20 may still be usable. As shown in
The closure device 20 may be made in various sizes to suit a range of box applications. The illustrated embodiment may be about 12 inches long, and about 3 inches wide, with a spacing of about 0.185 inches between the upper element and the lower element at the web, decreasing to about 0.107 inches at the outer edges 48, 50 of the upper element parts. The intermediate web 38 may be about 0.08 inches thick. The outer edges of the upper element and the lower element are preferably rounded, for example with a radius of about 0.09 inches.
An alternative embodiment box closure device 60 is shown in
Another alternative embodiment box closure device 74 is shown in
Another alternative embodiment box closure device 88 is shown in
It should be noted that although box closure devices having fingers extending at about 45 and about 60 degrees have been disclosed, devices with fingers extending at different angles may also be fabricated, so long as the fingers still serve to engage the box flaps within the device.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A plastic box closure device for releasably engaging a first and a second flap of a box in a closed configuration, the device comprising:
- a lower element having portions which extend generally in a first plane;
- an upper element spaced above the lower element; and
- a web which extends between the lower element and the upper element, the upper element being spaced by the web from the lower element to receive portions of the first and second flap of the box therebetween, wherein the upper element has a first part which extends outwardly in a first direction from the web along a first line of attachment which is spaced a first distance from the lower element, wherein the first part has an outer edge which is spaced from the lower element a distance less than the first distance, and wherein the upper element has a second part which extends from the web in a second direction from the web along a second line of attachment which is spaced from the lower element a second distance, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, and wherein the second part has an outer edge which is spaced from the lower element a distance less than the second distance, the first part and the second part being continuous and resilient to be biased against the portions of the box first flap and second flap received between the upper element and the lower element.
2. The box closure device of claim 1 wherein the upper element first part is concave opening towards the lower element.
3. The box closure device of claim 2 wherein the upper element second part is concave opening towards the lower element.
4. The box closure device of claim 1 wherein the distance between the upper element first part outer edge and the upper element second part outer edge measured perpendicular to the web is less than the width of the lower element measured perpendicular to the web.
5. The box closure device of claim 1 wherein the upper element has a perimeter which includes the first part outer edge and the second part outer edge, and wherein the perimeter has radiused corners with a radius of one quarter inch or greater.
6. A box closure device for releasably engaging a first and a second flap of a box in a closed configuration, the device comprising:
- a lower element having portions which extend generally in a first plane;
- a concave curved upper element which opens towards the lower element; and
- a web which extends between the lower element and the upper element and spaces the upper element from the lower element, the upper element having outer portions which are disposed to be biased against the portions of the box first flap and second flap received between the upper element and the lower element.
7. The box closure device of claim 6 wherein the device is fabricated of plastic material.
8. The box closure device of claim 7 wherein the plastic material is formed in an extrusion process.
9. A box closure device for releasably engaging a first and a second flap of a box in a closed configuration, the device comprising:
- an upper element having portions which extend generally in a first plane;
- a lower element spaced below the upper element; and
- a web which extends between the lower element and the upper element, the upper element being spaced by the web from the lower element to receive portions of the first and second flap of the box therebetween; and
- a plurality of fins which extend from the lower element towards the upper element.
10. The box closure device of claim 9 wherein the device is extruded from plastic.
11. The box closure device of claim 9 wherein the upper element is substantially parallel to the lower element.
12. The box closure device of claim 9 wherein the fins define a plurality of fingers which extend from the lower element at an angle of about 45 degrees.
13. The box closure device of claim 9 wherein the fins define a plurality of fingers which extend from the lower element at an angle of about 60 degrees.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 6, 2011
Publication Date: Oct 11, 2012
Inventor: John G. Barsness (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 13/081,388
International Classification: B65D 45/16 (20060101);