U.S. patent application number 09/733413 was filed with the patent office on 2001-07-05 for box.
This patent application is currently assigned to Top That Publishing plc. Invention is credited to Couchman, Simon Peter, Henderson, Barrie John.
Application Number | 20010006152 09/733413 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 10866101 |
Filed Date | 2001-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010006152 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Henderson, Barrie John ; et
al. |
July 5, 2001 |
Box
Abstract
A rectangular box 10 that can be made from folded card. The box
10 has a slip case 22 for holding a book 28 and an internal space
26 for storing objects. The internal space 26 is divided from the
slip case 22 by a partition wall 20 extending between the top and
bottom 16,17 faces of the box 10. The internal space 26 has a
window 30 so that its content can be inspected, and a flap 18 for
covering the window 30.
Inventors: |
Henderson, Barrie John;
(Suffolk, GB) ; Couchman, Simon Peter; (Suffolk,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kenneth Solomon
HOWELL & HAFERKAMP, L.C.
Suite 1400
7733 Forsyth Boulevard
St. Louis
MO
63105
US
|
Assignee: |
Top That Publishing plc
|
Family ID: |
10866101 |
Appl. No.: |
09/733413 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/232 ;
206/776; 206/777; 229/122 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42F 7/14 20130101; G11B
33/04 20130101; G11B 23/02 20130101; B65D 5/4204 20130101; B65D
5/48014 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/232 ;
229/122; 206/776; 206/777 |
International
Class: |
B65D 069/00; B65D
071/00; B65D 025/54 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 11, 1999 |
GB |
9929271.6 |
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A box comprising an internal space with a lid for accommodating
objects and a slip case with an open side formed integrally as part
of the box.
2. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal space is
divided from the slip case by a partition wall within the box.
3. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box is a six-sided
box.
4. A box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the partition is parallel
to first and second sides of the box and a front face of the box
has an open area, forming the opening of the slip case between the
partition and a first side of the box.
4. A box as claimed in claim 3, wherein a window is provided on the
second side of the box.
5. A box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the window is formed from a
continuous sheet of transparent material.
6. A box as claimed in claim 4, wherein a flap is provided over the
second side of the box.
7. A box as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flap is hinged along
the line where the second side meets the front of the box.
8. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top of the box is
openable.
9. A box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second sides
have a larger area than the top or front faces of the box.
10. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein one wall of the slip case
is partly cut away to assist access to a book in the slip case.
11. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box is made from a
single piece blank of folded card.
12. A blank adapted to be folded to form a box as claimed in claim
1.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a box that can be made from
folded card, to be used in particular for storing a book together
with other items.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Books are sometimes kept in a box known as a slip case. A
slip case is a rectangular box having an open side through which a
book can be inserted or removed, and will normally be appropriately
sized such that it fits closely around the book it is intended to
accept. When a book is placed in such a slip case, its spine
remains visible through the open side, allowing the book to be
stored and displayed on a book shelf in the normal way. However,
such a slip case will not conveniently accept other items in
addition to a book.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] According to the invention, there is provided a box
comprising an internal space with a lid for accommodating objects
and a slip case with an open side formed integrally as part of the
box.
[0004] The internal space can be used to store one or more items
whilst the slip case is used to hold a book. The box will be
particularly useful if the items within the internal space are
related to the subject matter of the book, as the box will then
allow the book and the related items to be conveniently stored
and/or carried about together. If the book is about animals, for
example, small toy animals could be stored in the internal space,
or if the book is a cookery book, the internal space could contain
ingredients.
[0005] For the purpose of this specification, the box will be
described as having a front face through which a book can be
inserted into the slip case, a back face, a base and a top, and a
first and second side. In use, the box can be placed on its base
and stored on a book shelf between other books in an aesthetically
pleasing manner, with the first and second sides of the box
standing upright and parallel to the other books. The front face
could be printed to resemble the spine of a book, to make it more
attractive on a bookshelf.
[0006] The size of the slip case need not be chosen to accept only
a single book: the slip case may accept a plurality of books, or
other book-shaped articles, such as a compact disk with its
case.
[0007] The internal space and the slip case will preferably be
separated from one another by a partition wall within the box. One
wall of the slip case will then be formed by the partition, and the
remaining walls of the slip case will be formed by walls of the
box.
[0008] Preferably, the partition will be parallel to the first and
second sides of the box and the open front of the slip case will be
between the partition and the first side of the box. The separation
between the partition and the first side of the box will then
define the width of the slip case, which can be chosen to match the
width of the book the slip case is intended to receive. When a book
is placed in the slip case, the spine of the book will be visible
though the open front, as with a conventional slip case.
[0009] To give the box the appearance of a book, the first and
second sides will preferably have a larger area than the top or
front faces of the box. To give the box an appearance that is yet
closer to that of a book, the front of the box will preferably be
rectangular, with a long axis parallel to the first and second
sides of the box.
[0010] The size and aspect ratio of the sides of the box will
conform to the size of the book that the slip case is intended to
receive.
[0011] A window will preferably be provided on the second side of
the box, so that the content of the box can be viewed without
opening the box. The window may be open, but will preferably be
formed from a continuous sheet of transparent material in order to
prevent the content of the box from escaping.
[0012] A flap may be provided over the second side of the box, in
order to cover the window and/or give the box the feel and look of
a book In order to resemble the front cover of a book, the flap
will preferably be hinged along the line where the second side
meets the front of the box and will preferably have substantially
the same area as the side of the box.
[0013] The top of the box will preferably be openable in order to
gain access to the inside of the box.
[0014] A cut away portion will be provided for the slip case on the
front edge of the first side of the box so that a book in the slip
case can be gripped more easily when it is being pulled out.
[0015] The box will preferably be made from a single-piece blank of
folded card.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The invention will now be further described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a box according to the
inventions in the upright position;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the box on its side with a
book placed in the slip case;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of the box looking in
the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, where the top of the box is
in the open position; and,
[0020] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank that can be used to
construct the box shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a box 10 is shown having: a front 12 and a
back 13; first and second sides 14 and 15; and a top 16 and a
bottom 17. A partition 20 parallel to the first side 14 defines a
slip case 22 in which a book may be received. On the other side of
the partition, an internal space 26 is formed where one or more
items may be stored. The box may be constructed of folded
cardboard.
[0022] The slip case 22 is bounded by the first side wall 14; the
partition 20; an area of the back 13 of the box 10 between the
partition 20 and the first side 14; and top and bottom guide walls
16a,17a parallel with and slightly displaced from the top and
bottom 16,17 faces of the box 10. The front 12 of the box 10 has a
front wall section 12a extending from the second side wall 15 to
the partition 20, such that an opening 24 is formed in the
remaining frontal area between the partition 20 and the first side
14. The opening 24 allows a book 28 (FIG. 2) to be inserted in the
slip case 22, between the partition 20 and the first side wall
14.
[0023] The depth of the slip case 22 is chosen in accordance with
the size of the book 28 it is intended to hold, so that when the
book 28 is fully inserted into the slip case 22, the spine 29 of
the book is substantially flush with the front 12 of the box 10, as
shown in FIG. 2. To facilitate the removal of the book 28 when it
is fully inserted in the slip case 22, a semicircular cut away
portion 27 is provided on the front edge of the first side wall 14,
allowing the book 28 to more easily be gripped.
[0024] The internal apace 26 is bounded by the second side wall 15,
the partition 20, the front wall section 12a the back wall 13 and
the top and bottom 16,17 of the box 10. As can be seen from FIG. 3,
the top 16 comprises a top flap 16b extending from the first side
wall 14. The top flap 16b can be opened to provide an opening 29 to
gain access to the internal space 26 of the box 10. In the closed
state, the top flap 16b substantially covers the entire top surface
16 of the box 10, thereby concealing the adjacent guiding wall
16a.
[0025] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the second side wall 15 has a
window 30 formed by an opening in the side wall 15 and a sheet of
transparent plastic 32 secured to the inside of the wall 15. A
cover flap 18 is provided which in the closed position
substantially covers the entire surface of the second wall 15,
including the window 30. The cover flap 30 pivots about a crease
line 46,50 where the second side wall 15 and the front wall section
12a meet, and provides the box with an outside cover, like the
cover of a book.
[0026] With the exception of the transparent window material 32,
the box 10 can be made by folding a single flat blank 34 which can
conveniently be of cardboard. A blank is shown in FIG. 4, where
fold or crease lines are indicated by continuous lines.
[0027] The blank is folded with 90 degree folds at fold lines 40
and 42, such that the first and second side walls 14,15 are
parallel with one another and perpendicular to the back wall 13.
The back wall 13 has two sections: a first section 13a which forms
a wall of the slip case and a second section 13b which forms a wall
of the internal space 26. These two sections 13a,13b meet at a line
44. The line 44 will act as a crease line allowing the internal
space 26 to be folded flat when the box is not being used.
[0028] The cover flap 18 has two leaves 18a,18b which are folded
back on each other along a fold line 48. One leaf 18a of the cover
flap 18 is joined to the second side wall 15 at fold line 46,
whilst the other leaf 18b of the flap 18 is joined to the front
wall section 12a at fold line 50. The two leaves 18a,18b of the
flap will be held together with glue, and the fold lines 46 and 50
will be brought together where the second side wall 15 and the
front wall section 12 meet. The cover flap 18 may be omitted, in
which case the front wall section 12 and the second side wall 15
will be joined directly.
[0029] The partition 20 will be folded at 90 degrees to the front
wall section 12a along fold line 52 such that the far edge of the
partition 20 defined by fold line 54 comes into contact with the
back wall 13. The partition 20 comes into contact with back wall 13
along the crease line 44 joining the two sections 13a,13b of the
back wall 13.
[0030] The far edge partition 20 is secured to the back wall 13 by
a tab 56 which is folded at 90 degrees to the partition 20 and
affixed to section 13a of the back wall 13.
[0031] The partition 20 and the first side wall 14 are maintained
parallel to one another by the upper and lower guiding walls
16a,17a, which extend from the partition at 90 degrees and are
attached to the first side wall 14 with folded tabs 58a,58b affixed
to the side wall 14.
[0032] The upper flap 16b for gaining access to the internal space
26 is connected to the first side wall 14 at crease line 60, where
it is able to fold to a closed position perpendicular to the first
side wall 14.
[0033] When the upper flap 16b is in the closed position, a tab 16c
on the flap 16b engages with folded tabs 62 and 64 extending from
the back and front walls 13,12 respectively, thereby preventing the
flap from opening inadvertently. The engagement of the upper flap
16b with the tabs 62,64 also provides additional structural support
to the box 10.
[0034] The bottom of the box 17 is formed by folded tabs
66,68,70,72 which engage with one another when the box 10 is in the
erected position.
[0035] A further tab 74 is bent back on itself and affixed to the
interior face of the second side wall 15 in order to give the edge
of the side wall 15 a smooth finish along the opening 29 of the
internal space 26.
[0036] When the box is erected as described above, a book can be
placed in the slip case and items related to the book can be placed
in the internal space region. The box can be orientated in the
upright position as shown in FIG. 1 and introduced on a book shelf
amongst books, thereby providing an aesthetically pleasing and
convenient way to store a book and book-related items together.
* * * * *