US 12,312,132 B2Granted

Collapsible box

OwnerDaniel Moreirainventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A collapsible box is provided that facilitates folding of the box into a flattened configuration having a profile the same size as the sides of the box. The box includes two main face panels, two side panels each having a vertical crease, a lower bottom panel having a longitudinal crease and cutouts adjacent to the side panels, bottom flaps attached to the lower edges of the side panels, and an upper bottom panel affixed to the lower edge of a main face panel that folds over the lower bottom panel and bottom flaps to provide structural rigidity. The box can be easily collapsed by raising the upper bottom panel and bottom flaps, and pushing the creases on the side panels and lower bottom panel inward. The box can optionally be formed from a single blank of cardboard or similar material, and can optionally be provided with handles or a lid.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A collapsible box, comprising:

a front panel and a back panel,
a first side piece joined to a left end of the front panel and to a left end of the back panel by flexible creases,
a second side piece joined to a right end of the front panel and to a right end of the back panel by flexible creases,
a lower bottom panel joined to a lower edge of the front panel and to a lower edge of the back panel by flexible creases,
two bottom flaps joined to a lower edge of each side panel by a flexible crease, and
an upper bottom panel joined to the lower edge of the front panel by a flexible crease,
wherein the front panel and the back panel each have a flat lower edge and a same width,
wherein the first side piece and the second side piece each have a flat lower edge and a same width that is not wider than the width of the front panel,
wherein each of the first and second side pieces comprises two side panels joined by a flexible vertical crease halfway between the adjacent front panel and the adjacent back panel,
wherein the lower bottom panel comprises a flexible longitudinal crease that is parallel to the front and back panels,
wherein the lower bottom panel further comprises a cutout provided at each end thereof adjacent to a side panel,
wherein each cutout extends along a full width of the end of the lower bottom panel adjacent to the side panels,
wherein a length of the cutout between the vertical crease joining adjacent side panels and an end of the cutout located at the longitudinal crease is at least as long as a width of each side panel,
wherein a width of each bottom flap where it is joined to an adjacent side panel is the same as the width of the adjacent side panel,
wherein a length of each bottom flap is at least as long as the length of the cutout,
wherein each bottom flap is configured to lie over a portion of the lower bottom panel and cover at least a portion of the adjacent cutout,
wherein the upper bottom panel is configured to lie over the bottom flaps and the lower bottom panel, has a length that is the same as the width of the front panel, and has a width that is the same as the width of the side pieces, and
wherein the collapsible box is configured such that when the collapsible box is collapsed into a flattened configuration, the upper bottom panel lies flat against the front panel, and each of the upper bottom panel, the lower bottom panel, the first side piece, and the second side piece lie fully between the front panel and the back panel.

15 more elements

A blank configured to be assembled into a collapsible box, wherein the assembled collapsible box comprises:

a front panel and a back panel,
a first side piece joined to a left end of the front panel and to a left end of the back panel by flexible creases,
a second side piece joined to a right end of the front panel and to a right end of the back panel by flexible creases,
a lower bottom panel joined to a lower edge of the front panel and to a lower edge of the back panel by flexible creases,
two bottom flaps joined to a lower edge of each side panel by a flexible crease, and
an upper bottom panel joined to the lower edge of the front panel by a flexible crease,
wherein the front panel and the back panel each have a flat lower edge and a same width,
wherein the first side piece and the second side piece each have a flat lower edge and a same width that is not wider than the width of the front panel,
wherein each of the first and second side pieces comprises two side panels joined by a flexible vertical crease halfway between the adjacent front panel and the adjacent back panel,
wherein the lower bottom panel comprises a flexible longitudinal crease that is parallel to the front and back panels,
wherein the lower bottom panel further comprises a cutout provided at each end thereof adjacent to a side panel,
wherein each cutout extends along a full width of the end of the lower bottom panel adjacent to the side panels,
wherein a length of the cutout between the vertical crease joining adjacent side panels and an end of the cutout located at the longitudinal crease is at least as long as a width of each side panel,
wherein a width of each bottom flap where it is joined to an adjacent side panel is the same as the width of the adjacent side panel,
wherein a length of each bottom flap is at least as long as the length of the cutout,
wherein each bottom flap is configured to lie over a portion of the lower bottom panel and cover at least a portion of the adjacent cutout,
wherein the upper bottom panel is configured to lie over the bottom flaps and the lower bottom panel, has a length that is the same as the width of the front panel, and has a width that is the same as the width of the side pieces, and
wherein the collapsible box is configured such that when the collapsible box is collapsed into a flattened configuration, the upper bottom panel lies flat against the front panel, and each of the upper bottom panel, the lower bottom panel, the first side piece, and the second side piece lie fully between the front panel and the back panel.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/727,689Filed 10 Jan 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 10 Jan 2022
Published: US 2025/0108954 A13 Apr 2025
Granted: 27 May 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B65D 5/3628
To form a tubular body, at least one of the ends of the body remaining connected: collapsed along median lines of two opposite sides of the…
B65D 5/46096
Formed by extensions of closure flaps, by closure flaps or by extensions of side flaps of a container formed by folding a blank to form a tubular…
B65D
Containers for storage or transport of articles or materials