FOLDING BOX AS A DECORATIVE OBJECT

Abstract

A folding box and a flat material strip for producing same are provided. The flat material strip has four wall elements, each of which is connected to one another via mutually opposite lines of weakness and a fastening tab on one of the two outer wall elements. At a lateral edge of the wall elements, four first stiffening elements adhere to the wall elements via a respective line of weakness. At the edges of the first stiffening elements, which are opposite the wall elements, four base elements adhere to the first stiffening elements via a respective line of weakness. Two of the base elements are designed as dust tabs. The two other base elements have a fastening region and adhere to the base tabs via a line of weakness. The dust tabs can be fastened such that the four base elements can be put together to form a glued base.

Description

This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 14 003 753.2, filed Nov. 7, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in its entity herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a folding box which can be used as a decorative object, in particular for the design of retail spaces and display windows. The folding box can serve there inter alia as a pedestal for the presentation of goods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today various types of folding boxes are known. In general, folding boxes have a plurality of wall elements which are connected to one another via lines of weakness. The folding boxes generally have a base element and a lid element, with which the respective folding box can be closed. The folding boxes can generally be produced from one or from more flat material strips and can be stored and transported in a space-saving manner as flat blanks.

As decorative objects and pedestals for the design of display windows and retail spaces, use is made in particular of three-dimensional cuboids or cubes which consist of stable, non-foldable material, such as, for example, plastic or wood. The pedestals accordingly require a large amount of space, which leads in particular to a high volume and high costs for transport and storage. This can be problematic in particular in downtown locations since here the delivery of large volumes and the storage thereof is difficult and costly.

Furthermore, pedestals of this type can be altered only with a large amount of time in order to adapt the pedestals to different decorative themes—for example Christmas decoration, clearance sale, start of spring. The existing pedestals would have to be, for example, glued for such an alteration. This is very time-intensive and can be carried out only by experts. The removal of the glued areas is also very laborious and generally cannot be carried out without leaving a residue, which reduces the quality of the pedestals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Starting from this previously known prior art, the object of the invention is to specify a folding box as a decorative object, which has a high-quality appearance, can be stored and transported as a flat blank, and can be unfolded rapidly and intuitively. Furthermore, the another object of the invention is to specify a flat material strip from which a corresponding folding box can be produced.

The folding box according to the invention is provided as one embodiment. The flat material strip according to the invention for producing such a folding box is provided as another embodiment. Advantageous refinements and developments of the folding box and of the flat material strip are the subject matter of further embodiments.

The folding box according to the invention has four wall elements which are connected to one another in the form of a row by the lateral edges thereof in each case via mutually opposite lines of weakness. The two outer wall elements are fastened to each other. A first stiffening element is fastened to the inner side of each of the four wall elements such that the walls of the folding box in each case consist of a total of two material layers. The base of the folding box is designed as a glued base. Such a glued base can make possible, as before, flat folding up of the folding box such that flat transport of same is possible. At the same time, the base is present already finished, and therefore no further unfolding or plugging together in this regard is required any longer, which permits particularly simple and rapid unfolding of the folding box. The lower border of the wall elements protrudes here for a distance over said glued base. In addition to the glued base as the first base part, there is a further, second base part which is designed as a separate part and can be placed onto the outer side of the first glued base. The second base part bears here against the protruding borders of the wall elements and is therefore held in a clamped manner. The glued base can therefore be additionally clad by a visually attractive base.

Such a folding box without a lid can serve in particular for cladding pedestals which are already present for decorating display windows. For this purpose, the folding box can be put over the existing pedestal, with the glued base of the folding box facing upward. Said glued base can be clad in a visually attractive manner by the second base part. The folding box according to the invention can therefore provide a visually attractive cladding of existing pedestals in an economic manner in order to adapt the pedestals to different decorative themes or in order to conceal damaged or soiled areas of the pedestals. Furthermore, a particularly simple possibility is provided by the separate second base part also to individually adapt the folding box itself by merely using different second base parts.

If the folding box is intended to be erected as such without being put over an existing pedestal or another supporting frame, in addition to the glued base there can also be a glued lid such that a closed body is produced. The individual elements of the glued lid can be fastened to the inner side of the wall elements or to the respective stiffening elements. The glued lid prevents the individual wall elements from slightly buckling if the latter are not held in position from the inside by a supporting frame, such as, in particular, a pedestal. The folding box in this case can no longer be used for storing utensils since said folding box is closed by the glued base on the one side and by the glued lid on the other side. Nevertheless, the folding box can be transported and stored as before as a flat blank.

The glued lid can be used merely for the stability of the folding box if the latter is intended to be used as a pedestal. In this case, the glued lid, which is located at the bottom, of the folding box would not be visible while the glued base, which is located at the top, of the folding box could be covered by the second base part.

The glued lid can preferably be fastened to the inner side of the folding box in such a manner that the wall elements project for a distance beyond the glued lid. If the folding box is of cuboidal design, the second, separate base part could therefore be placed both onto the glued base and onto the glued lid. The folding box can therefore be deposited with the glued base or with the glued lid downward. Furthermore, the protruding border of the wall parts can also serve to stack a plurality of folding boxes one above another in order to form relatively large decorative objects.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, there can be a second lid part which is designed comparably to the second base part as a separate part. The second lid part can be placed onto the glued lid as first lid part in such a manner that the glued lid is completely covered and the edges of the second lid part bear against the protruding borders of the wall elements and are held in a clamping manner there. As a result, the folding box can have six visually equivalent sides and can also be suspended hanging freely.

Depending on the required stability of the wall elements, it may be advantageous, in addition to the first stiffening elements, also to provide second and optionally third stiffening elements. The further stiffening elements can be fastened to the first stiffening elements on the inside of the folding box or to the inner side of the wall elements. The wall elements can therefore have a total of three or four material layers, and therefore particularly high stability is provided. The second or third stiffening elements can also be formed, for example, by the fastening tabs of the lid elements of the glued lid.

The fastening of the stiffening elements to the wall elements can take place in particular via an adhesive layer. The fastening of the two outer wall elements to each other can also take place by means of an adhesive layer.

It may be sufficient merely to place the second base part and/or the second lid part onto the glued base or the glued lid. If the folding box is intended to be suspended, the second base part and/or the second lid part can be fastened to the glued base or to the glued lid via an adhesive layer.

The folding box can form a body in the form of a cuboid or a truncated pyramid. In the case of a cuboid, the lines of weakness between the individual wall elements are in each case parallel to one another. Folding boxes of this type can be stored in a space-saving manner and are universally suitable for a multiplicity of different shapes of products to be packaged. Furthermore, folding boxes of this type can also be put over pedestals which are already present and are generally of cuboidal or cubic design. Alternatively thereto, the lines of weakness between the individual wall elements could also be directed toward one another such that a folding box in the form of a truncated pyramid is produced.

The folding box according to the invention therefore provides a high-quality appearance which is comparable to conventional pedestals made from plastic or wood. At the same time, transport lying flat and storage lying flat is possible since the folding box can be erected simply and rapidly. In addition, by exchange of the second base parts or lid parts, the folding box can be altered simply and cost-effectively.

The folding box as a cuboid, cube or truncated pyramid can be used as a single- or two-part decorative object. As such, the folding box can be decorated upright, and therefore only an upper, interchangeable base part would be required. If the folding box is intended to be used as a decorative object in lying or hanging form, use should be made of an upper base part and a lower lid part which can each be interchangeable. Furthermore, the folding box can serve without an additional supporting frame as a pedestal for the presentation of goods or else can be put as a pedestal cover over pedestals which are already present in order to clad the latter in a visually attractive manner.

The folding box can preferably be composed of paperboard or of a paperboard-like material or can at least contain such material. Material of this type can easily be recycled; at the same time, said material is sufficiently stable because of the special folding. Furthermore, the material is conveniently commercially available and can be printed and/or finished, and therefore a multiplicity of design possibilities is conceivable.

The material used for the second base parts or lid parts can be selected to be somewhat thicker than the material selected for the rest of the folding box.

The folding box can be formed in particular from a single-piece blank. As a result, an additional time and effort for the production of a folding box of this type, which would be necessary, for example, due to the positioning of a plurality of blank parts present independently of one another, does not arise.

The flat material strip according to the invention for producing a corresponding folding box has four wall elements which are connected to one another in the form of a row by the lateral edges thereof in each case via mutually opposite lines of weakness. On one of the two outer wall elements there is a fastening tab which is connected to that lateral edge of one of the two outer wall elements which is opposite the remaining wall elements via a further line of weakness. A first stiffening element adheres in each case to the one free edge of the four wall elements via a line of weakness. According to the invention, there are four base elements which in each case adhere to the first stiffening elements via a line of weakness. The line of weakness between the first stiffening elements and the base elements and the line of weakness between the first stiffening elements and the wall elements run parallel to each other here. According to the invention, the four base elements can be put together to form a glued base.

When the folding box is put together, a cut edge—namely the free edge of the wall elements—would be visible in this case. If the folding box is intended to be used as cladding for a pedestal or as an upright pedestal, said free edge would rest on the floor and would therefore not be visible to the observer.

If, by contrast, the folding box is intended to be visible from all sides, there can be second stiffening elements which adhere to those edges of the wall elements which are opposite the first stiffening elements. As a result, when the folding box is assembled, no cut edges are visible, and therefore the folding box provides a visually attractive impression from all sides.

The height of the first stiffening elements can preferably be somewhat lower than the height of the wall elements. As a result, the glued base can be moved a distance inward in the case of the finished folding box, and therefore the wall elements project for a distance over the glued base. In this manner, the second base part can be positioned exactly on the glued base. Furthermore, the protruding wall elements can conceal the cut edges of the second separate base part such that a visually attractive image is provided.

In order to prevent a cut edge from being visible between the two outer wall elements which are fastened to each other via the fastening tab, a covering tab can adhere via a line of weakness to that outer wall element at which there is no fastening tab. Said covering tab can be folded onto the inner side of the adhering wall element and can be fastened there in particular by means of an adhesive layer. Subsequently, the two wall elements can be fastened to each other without an interfering cut edge being seen.

In order further to strengthen the wall elements of the folding box, there can be third stiffening elements. The latter can be present as separate parts which can be fastened on the flat material strip. The third stiffening elements can preferably adhere to the second stiffening elements via lines of weakness. As a result, the folding box can consist, as before, of a single-piece blank.

The width of the first, second and optionally third stiffening elements can preferably be somewhat smaller than the width of the wall elements. As a result, the stiffening elements do not interfere during the assembly of the folding box and the bending of the flat material strip around the lines of weakness between the wall elements.

Four separate lid parts which can be assembled to form a glued lid can be fastened retrospectively to the flat material strip. For this purpose, the lid parts can have a fastening tab by means of which said lid parts can be fastened on the inner side of the second stiffening element. If the fastening tabs reach over a large portion of the height of the second stiffening element, the fastening tabs can also serve as a third—or further—stiffening element. The lid parts should be positioned here in such a manner that the glued lid can be moved inward for a distance, and therefore the wall elements project for a distance over the glued lid. In this manner, the second lid part can be positioned exactly on the glued lid. Furthermore, the protruding wall elements can conceal the cut edges of the second separate lid part such that a visually attractive image is provided.

The flat material strip can preferably have parallel lines of weakness such that a rectangular, cuboidal folding box can be produced therefrom. The wall elements can be of correspondingly rectangular design.

An economical and exact folding of the flat material strip can be realized by the lines of weakness of the flat material strip being designed as crease lines.

In a preferred embodiment, the flat material strip can be composed of paperboard or a paperboard-like material or can at least contain such material.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from the features furthermore specified in this specification and from the exemplary embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of the flat material strip according to the invention with an inner side of the subsequent folding box facing upward,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a folding box according to the invention produced from the flat material strip according to FIG. 1 and without a second base part,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the folding box according to FIG. 2 with a second base part,

FIG. 4 shows a section through the folding box according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a top view of a second embodiment of the flat material strip according to the invention with an inner side of the subsequent folding box facing upward,

FIG. 6 shows a section through the folding box according to FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a flat material strip according to FIG. 1 with an outer side of the subsequent folding box facing upward, in which a glued lid is fastened to the second stiffening elements,

FIG. 8 shows a section through the folding box produced from the flat material strip according to FIG. 7, with a second base part and second lid part,

FIG. 9 shows a top view of a third embodiment of the flat material strip according to the invention with an inner side of the subsequent folding box facing upward, and

FIG. 10 shows a section through the folding box according to FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A folding box 10 according to the invention can be produced from a flat material strip 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. The flat material strip 12 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in such a manner that the outer side of the subsequent folding box 10 faces upward.

In the present example case, the flat material strip 12 has four wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. The individual wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 adhere to one another in a row via lines of weakness 30, 32, 34. The lines of weakness 30, 32, 34 in each case run parallel to one another and constitute the lateral edges of the respective wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. A fastening tab 38 adheres to the first wall element 20 via a further line of weakness 36. The fastening tab 38 can be fastened to the inner side of the fourth wall element 26, for example by means of an adhesive strip. In order not to have a visible cut edge in the case of flat material strips 12 with high-quality printing, a covering tab 42 adheres to the last wall element 26 via a further line of weakness 40. The covering tab 42 can be folded onto the inner side of the last wall element 26 and can be fastened there, for example by means of an adhesive strip. The fastening of the two outer wall elements 20, 26 can take place subsequently by means of the fastening tab 38.

In the present example case, the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 each have identical widths 28. In contrast thereto, the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 could also have different widths. In particular, every two wall elements 20, 24 or 22, 26 could have identical widths while the two other wall elements 22, 26 or 20, 24 could have widths differing therefrom.

A first stiffening element 50, 52, 54, 56 is located in each case on the left edge, in the present example case, of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. The first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 adhere to the respective wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 via lines of weakness 60, 62, 64, 66. The width 58 of the first stiffening element 50, 52, 54, 56 is somewhat smaller than the width 28 of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. As a result, the flat material strip 12 can simply be folded at the lines of weakness 30, 32, 34, in order to form the folding box 12, without the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 interfering during the folding operation.

A second stiffening element 70, 72, 74, 76 is in each case located on the right edge, in the present example case, of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. The second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 adhere to the respective wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 via lines of weakness 80, 82, 84, 86. In the present example case, the width 78 of the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 corresponds to the width 58 of the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 and is therefore somewhat smaller than the width 28 of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. It would also be possible to provide the width 78 of the second stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 to be somewhat smaller than the width 58 of the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 in order to facilitate the folding of the flat material strip 12 even further. This may be advantageous in particular in the case of relatively great material thicknesses of the flat material strip 12.

A respective dust tab 90, 92 is located on the first stiffening elements 52, 56. The two dust tabs 90, 92 adhere to those edges of the first stiffening elements 52, 56 which are opposite the wall elements 22, 26 via lines of weakness 94, 96. A respective lower base tab 100, 102 is located on the first stiffening elements 50, 54. The base tabs 100, 102 adhere to those edges of the first stiffening elements 50, 54 which are opposite the wall elements 20, 24 via lines of weakness 104, 106. The base tabs 100, 102 respectively have a fastening region 110, 112 which can be fastened on the inner side of the dust tabs 90, 92. The fastening region 110, 112 is part of the base tab 100, 102 and is separated from the remaining part of the base tab 100, 102 by a line of weakness 111, 113. Such a glued base as base element of a folding box is basically already known from the prior art.

In the present example case, a further covering tab 114 adheres to the lateral edge of the outermost second stiffening element 76 via a line of weakness 116. Said second covering tab 114 may also be omitted depending on the manner of operation of the apparatus which assembles the flat material strip 12 to form a folding box 10.

The flat material strip 12 could basically already be sold in the state thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 to the final customer. However, as a rule, the flat material strip 12 is brought onto the market in an at least partially glued and unfolded manner in order to permit an as convenient and intuitive use as possible of the folding box 10 for the final customer. For this purpose, first of all the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 are folded onto the inner side of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 and fastened there. The two covering tabs 42, 114 are subsequently folded inward onto the wall element 26 and likewise fastened there. Furthermore, the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 are folded inward and fastened there. The fastening tab 38 is then fastened to the wall element 26 and the flat material strip 12 is folded at the line of weakness 32. The fastening regions 110, 112 of the base tabs 100, 102 are fastened to the lower dust tabs 90, 92 such that the base element is automatically produced as soon as the folding box 10 is also creased at the lines of weakness 30, 34.

The resulting folding box 10 which is illustrated in FIG. 2 is open on one side. Said open side as the standing side is not visible in FIG. 2. Such a folding box 10 could therefore be put over an existing pedestal or another supporting frame such that the glued base would face upward. Owing to the fact that the height 120 of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 is somewhat greater than the height 122 of the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56, the glued base is moved inward for a distance such that the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 and the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 form an encircling border 124. Said encircling border 124 can serve to conceal the cut edges of a second base part 126, as is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the present example case, the second base part 126 is of square design since the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 each have identical widths 28. The second base part 126 can be placed onto the glued base and clamped there with the aid of the encircling edge 124. The glued base can thereby be concealed in a simple and economically favorable manner. The second base part 126 can be composed here of the same material of which the flat material strip 12 is also composed. However, it would also be possible to select the second base part 126 from a material having a greater material thickness in order additionally to stabilize the folding box 10.

In the embodiment of the flat material strip 12 that is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a cut edge is not visible in the finished folding box 10.

The alternative flat material strip 12.2 illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the flat material strip 12 according to FIG. 1 in that there are not any second stiffening elements. The right edge of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 therefore remains visible as the cut edge. Furthermore, the fastening tab 38.2 is designed to be significantly wider and corresponds in terms of width to one of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26. As a result, the fastening tab 38.2 can be glued onto the outer side of the lowermost wall element 26 in the drawing.

By contrast, a covering tab 40 is not present in the case of the flat material strip 12.2.

The folding box 10.2 resulting from the flat material strip 12.2 is illustrated in section in FIG. 6. A second base part 126 has already been placed here onto the glued base. In contrast to the folding box 10 according to FIGS. 2 to 4, only a double-layered wall thickness of the folding box 10.2 is provided here. However, this may be sufficient if the folding box 10.2 is used merely as a decorative element and not as a pedestal for the depositing of objects which are to be presented.

In order to increase the stability of the folding box 10, 10.2 and to prevent a visually unattractive buckling of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 in the event of the free erection of the folding box 10, 10.2 without a supporting frame, an additional lid can be provided according to FIGS. 7 and 8. The flat material strip 10 according to FIG. 1 has been used in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7. However, it would also be possible to provide an additional lid in the case of the flat material strip 12.2 according to FIG. 5.

The flat material strip 12.3 is illustrated in FIG. 7 in such a manner that the outer side of the folding box 10.3 faces upward. A respective dust tab 130, 132 has been fastened here to the outer sides of the first stiffening elements 52, 56. For this purpose, the two dust tabs 130, 132 adhere to fastening tabs 140, 142 via lines of weakness 134, 136. Said fastening tabs 140, 142 are fastened to the outer side of the first stiffening elements 52, 56 by means of an adhesive layer. A respective lid tab 150, 152 has been fastened to the first stiffening elements 50, 54. For this purpose, the lid tabs 150, 152 adhere to fastening tabs 144, 146 via lines of weakness 154, 156. Said fastening tabs 144, 146 are fastened to the outer side of the first stiffening elements 50, 54 by means of an adhesive layer. The lid tabs 150, 152 each have a fastening region 160, 162 which can be fastened to the inner side of the dust tabs 130, 132. The fastening region 160, 162 is part of the lid tab 150, 152 and is separated from the remaining part of the lid tab 150, 152 by a line of weakness 161, 163.

If the folding box 10.3 is intended to be erected as a pedestal, the glued lid may be sufficient. In this case, the glued base of the folding box 10.3 can face upward and can be concealed in a visually attractive manner by the second base part 126. If, by contrast, the folding box 10.3 is intended to be visible from all sides—for example is thus intended to serve in a hanging manner as a decoration—the glued lid of the folding box 10.3 can be covered by a second lid part 166. The dust tabs 130, 132 and the lid tabs 150, 152 are therefore fastened to the outer side of the first stiffening elements 52, 56, 50, 54 in such a manner that the glued lid is moved inward for a distance, as is also the case with the glued base.

In the present example case, the fastening tabs 140, 142, 144, 146 are of significantly shorter design than the height 122 of the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56. If the fastening tabs 140, 142, 144, 146 are also intended to serve as additional (third) stiffening elements, it would also be possible to design the fastening tabs 140, 142, 144, 146 to be of such a length that said fastening tabs project approximately as far as the lines of weakness 94, 96, 104, 106 and therefore reach approximately over the entire height 122 of the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56.

The flat material strip 12.3 could basically already be sold in the state thereof illustrated in FIG. 7 to the final customer. However, as a rule, the flat material strip 12.3 is brought onto the market in an at least partially glued and unfolded form in order to permit as convenient and intuitive use as possible of the folding box 10.3 for the final customer. For this purpose, first of all the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 are folded onto the inner side of the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 and are fastened there. The covering tab 42 is subsequently folded inward onto the wall element 26 and likewise fastened there. Furthermore, the first stiffening elements 50, 52, 54, 56 are folded inward and fastened on the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76. The fastening tab 38 is then fastened to the wall element 26 and the flat material strip 12.3 folded at the line of weakness 32. The fastening regions 110, 112 of the base tabs 100, 102 are fastened to the lower dust tabs 90, 92 such that the base element is automatically produced as soon as the folding box 10.3 is also creased at the lines of weakness 30, 34. The fastening regions 160, 162 of the lid tabs 150, 152 are likewise fastened to the upper dust tabs 130, 132 such that the lid element is automatically produced when the folding box 10.3 is unfolded. The resulting folding box 10.3 is illustrated in section in FIG. 8. A second base part 126 has already been placed here onto the glued base and a second lid part 166 onto the glued lid.

According to the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the third stiffening elements 170, 172, 174, 176 could also be present in one piece on the flat material strip 12.4 according to FIG. 9. In the present example case, the third stiffening elements 170, 172, 174, 176 adhere to those edges of the second stiffening elements 70, 72, 74, 76 which are opposite the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 via lines of weakness 180, 182, 184, 186. A corresponding folding box 10.4 is illustrated in FIG. 10. The folding box 10.4 could likewise be provided in a manner corresponding to the folding box 10.3 with a glued lid and a second lid part.

In the present example case, the third stiffening element 176 which adheres to the second stiffening element 76, to which the covering tab 114 also adheres, is of somewhat narrower design than the remaining third stiffening elements 170, 172, 174. The covering tab 114 can therefore be directly folded over onto the second stiffening element 76 such that the folding box is formed overall by four layers throughout and would not be formed by five layers at the location of the covering tab.

In the present example case, the lines of weakness 30, 32, 34, 36, 40, 60, 62, 64, 66, 80, 82, 84, 86, 94, 96, 104, 106, 116, 134, 136, 154, 156, 180, 182, 184, 186 are in each case designed as crease lines in order to permit as simple and exact a folding of the folding box as possible. In the present example case, the lines of weakness 111, 113, 161, 163 are designed as score lines.

In the exemplary embodiments illustrated here, the lines of weakness 30, 32, 34, 36 each run parallel to one another. Consequently, the wall elements 20, 22, 24, 26 are rectangular, and a respective cuboidal folding box 10, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 can be produced from the flat material strips 12, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4. In contrast thereto, the individual wall elements could also each have the form of a trapezoid; the lines of weakness between the wall elements would then no longer be parallel to one another, but would converge toward one another. In the case of a folding blank with wall elements in the form of a trapezoid, a cuboidal folding box would then no longer be produced; on the contrary, the corresponding folding box would have the shape of a truncated pyramid.

Claims

1. A folding box comprising:

four wall elements, each of which is connected to one another in a row by lateral edges thereof via mutually opposite lines of weakness, two of said wall elements being fastened to each other;

four first stiffening elements, each of which is fastened to an inner side of the wall element; and

a first base part, which is designed as a glued base, wherein

each of the wall elements has a protruding portion that protrudes from an edge of the first base part, and

the folding box is configured to receive a second base part, which is separate from the box and is placed onto the first base part in such a manner that edges of the second base part bear against the protruding portion and are clamped there.

2. The folding box as claimed in claim 1, further comprising four first lid parts, each of which is designed as a glued lid part and is fastened to an inner side of the folding box.

3. The folding box as claimed in claim 2, wherein

each of the first lid parts is fastened to the inner side of the folding box in such a manner that the wall element protrudes from an edge of the first lid part.

4. The folding box as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a second lid part, which is designed as a separate part and is placed onto the first lid part in such a manner that edges of the second lid part bear against the protruding portions and are clamped there.

5. The folding box as claimed in claim 1, further comprising four second stiffening elements, each of which is fastened to the wall element or to the first stiffening element.

6. The folding box as claimed in claim 5, further comprising four third stiffening elements, which are fastened to the first stiffening elements or to the second stiffening elements.

7. A flat material strip for producing the folding box according to claim 1, comprising:

four wall elements each of which is connected to one another in a row by lateral edges thereof via mutually opposite lines of weakness;

a fastening tab, which is connected to the lateral edge of one of the two wall elements via a line of weakness;

four first stiffening elements, each of which, by a respective lateral edge, adheres via the line of weakness to a respective lateral edge of the wall element; and

four base elements, each of which adheres via a respective line of weakness to an edge of the first stiffening element, which is provided opposite the wall element, wherein

two of the base elements are designed as dust tabs,

the two other base elements have a fastening region, which adheres in one piece to the base tab via a line of weakness and to which in each case one of the dust tabs can be fastened such that the four base elements can be put together to form a glued base.

8. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 7, wherein

a height of the first stiffening element is lower than a height of the wall element.

9. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a covering tab, which is connected to the lateral edge of one of the wall elements via a line of weakness.

10. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 7, further comprising four second stiffening elements, each of which, by a respective lateral edge, adheres via lines of weakness to the edge of the wall element, which is provided opposite the first stiffening element.

11. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 10, further comprising four third stiffening elements, each of which, by a respective lateral edge, adheres via lines of weakness to the edge of the second stiffening element, which is provided opposite the wall element.

12. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 10, wherein

a width of the first stiffening element or the second stiffening element is smaller than a width of the wall element.

13. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

four separate lid elements; and

four second fastening tabs, wherein

each of the separate lid elements adheres to the second fastening tab via a respective line of weakness,

the second fastening tabs are fastened to the first stiffening elements, and

the four lid elements can be put together to form a glued lid.

14. The flat material strip as claimed in claim 13, wherein

two of the lid elements are designed as dust tabs,

the two other lid elements have a fastening region, each of which adheres to a lid tab via a line of weakness and to which one of the dust tabs can be fastened such that the four lid elements can be put together to form a glued lid.