U.S. patent application number 10/649089 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-15 for box-assembly device.
Invention is credited to Byun, Jae-Chul.
Application Number | 20040068946 10/649089 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32064858 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040068946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Byun, Jae-Chul |
April 15, 2004 |
Box-assembly device
Abstract
The box-assembly device (100) includes a first locking part (10)
and a second locking part (20). The first locking part (10) is open
at two faces thereof, thus being fitted over an edge of a panel (P)
around a comer of a box. The second locking part (20) is integrated
with an end of the first locking part (10) into a single body, and
is open at two faces thereof, thus being fitted over an edge of
another panel (P) around the comer of the box. The first and second
locking parts (10, 20) are open in the same direction.
Inventors: |
Byun, Jae-Chul;
(Pocheon-gun, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS, LLP.
3300 HILLVIEW AVENUE
PALO ALTO
CA
94304
US
|
Family ID: |
32064858 |
Appl. No.: |
10/649089 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/285.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 87/007 20130101;
A47B 47/0033 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/285.3 |
International
Class: |
E04B 001/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 10, 2002 |
KR |
20-2002-0030266 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A box-assembly device, comprising: a first locking part having
two faces forming a first opening configured to receive an edge of
a panel at a comer of a box to be constructed; and a second locking
part that is integrated with an end of the first locking part into
a single body, where the second locking part has two faces forming
a second opening configured to receive an edge of another panel at
the comer of the box, wherein the first and second openings are
oriented in the same direction.
2. The box-assembly device according to claim 1, wherein the first
and second locking parts are integrated with each other at
substantially a right angle into the single body.
3. The box-assembly device according to claim 1, wherein the first
and second locking parts are integrated with each other at
substantially an obtuse angle into the single body.
4. The box-assembly device according to claim 1 or 3, wherein each
of the first and second locking parts are provided with a plurality
of compression ridges on inner surfaces thereof so as to increase a
locking force thereof on the panels.
5. The box-assembly device according to claim 4, wherein a locking
hole is formed on an outer surface of at least one of the two faces
of the first and second locking parts.
6. The box-assembly device according to claim 4, wherein a locking
projection is formed on an outer surface of at least one of the two
faces of the first and second locking parts.
7. The box-assembly device according to claim 4, wherein a locking
hole is formed on an outer surface of one of the two faces of the
first and second locking parts, while a complementary locking
projection is formed on an outer surface of the two faces of a
remaining locking part.
8. A box-assembly, comprising: a first locking part having two
substantially parallel first locking part faces configured for
receiving a panel therebetween; a second locking part having
another two substantially parallel faces configured for receiving
another panel therebetween; a locking hole formed in an outer one
of said first locking part faces; and a locking projection formed
on an outer one of said second locking part faces, wherein said
locking projection and said locking hole have complementary
dimensions.
9. The box-assembly according to claim 8, wherein inner sides of
said first and second locking part faces have a plurality of
compression ridges to help secure said panels to said first and
second locking parts.
10. The box-assembly according to claim 8, wherein an angle formed
between said first locking part and said second locking part is an
obtuse angle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a device for
assembling boxes and, more particularly, to a box-assembly device
which is easily and simply attached to a comer of a box so as to
easily and simply assemble the box into a desired shape.
[0003] 2. Related Background Art
[0004] Generally, a combined storage and decoration box is
fabricated by assembling a plurality of panels into a single body
having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and is used as a box
for storing books, flowerpots, and other articles therein.
[0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional
box.
[0006] As shown in the drawing, the conventional box is fabricated
with upper and lower panels 1 and 2, two side panels 3 and 4
mounted to both side edges of the upper and lower panels 1 and 2,
and a rear panel 5 mounted to the rear edges of the upper, lower
and two side panels 1, 2, 3 and 4.
[0007] To assemble the panels into the box having the above
structure, it is necessary to drill through the panels after the
panels have been cut to size. Thereafter, the panels are, arranged
to form a shape with a rectangular cross-section, prior to being
assembled into a single body by the panels being screwed to one
another.
[0008] To align the rear panel 5, fitting grooves 6 configured to
mate with the rear panel are formed at desired positions of the
rear parts of the upper, lower and side panels 1, 2, 3 and 4.
[0009] However, assembly of the panels into the conventional box
requires a drilling process, a screwing process, and an alignment
process to align the fitting grooves 6 with the rear panel 5.
[0010] Therefore, manufacture and assembly of conventional
box-assembly is a complex process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a box-assembly device which
is easily and simply attached to a comer of a box so as to assemble
the box into a desired shape, while increasing work efficiency. The
box assembly device includes a first locking part having two faces
forming a first opening. The first opening is configured to receive
an edge of a panel at a comer of a box to be constructed. A second
locking part is integrated with an end of the first locking part
into a single body. The second locking part has two faces forming a
second opening. The second opening is configured to receive an edge
of another panel at the comer of the box. The first and second
openings are oriented in the same direction
[0012] In the box-assembly device, the first and second locking
parts may be integrated with each other at a right angle into a
single body, or the first and second locking parts may be
integrated with each other at an obtuse angle into a single body.
Each of the first and second locking parts are preferably provided
with a plurality of compression ridges on inner surfaces thereof so
as to increase a locking force thereof on the panels. A locking
hole may be formed on an outer surface of at least one of the first
and second locking parts. Similarly, a locking projection may be
formed on an outer surface of at least one of the first and second
locking parts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional box;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a box-assembly device,
according to the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a box, which is assembled
into a desired shape by the use of a plurality of box-assembly
devices of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a view of a plurality of boxes, which are
assembled into a multi-story box arrangement by the use of a
plurality of box-assembly devices of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 4;
[0019] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of portion C of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of portion D of FIG. 4; and
[0022] FIG. 9 is a view showing a box-assembly device, according to
another embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail herein below, with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a box-assembly device
according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the
drawing, the box-assembly device is designated by the reference
numeral 100. As shown in the drawing, a box-assembly device 100
comprises a first locking part 10 and a second locking part 20
which are respectively fitted over edges of two panels P placed at
a comer of a box. That is, the first locking part 10 is open at two
faces thereof, thus being fitted over an edge of a panel P around
the comer of the box.
[0025] A second locking part 20 having the same structure as that
of the first locking part 10, and is integrated with an end of the
first locking part 10 into a single body. The second locking part
20 is open at two faces thereof, thus being fitted over an edge of
another panel P around the comer of the box.
[0026] In the box-assembly device 100, the first and second locking
parts 10 and 20 are open in the same direction, so that the locking
parts 10 and 20 are respectively fitted over the edges of the
panels P in the same direction, thus assembling the panels P into
the box having the rectangular cross-sectional shape.
[0027] In the present invention, the first and second locking parts
10 and 20 are preferably integrated with each other at a right
angle into a single body. In addition, each of the first and second
locking parts 10 and 20 is preferably provided with a plurality of
compression ridges 30 on inner surfaces thereof so as to increase a
locking force thereof on the panels P.
[0028] In addition, a locking projection 50 and a locking hole 40
are formed on the outer surfaces of the first and second locking
parts 20 and 10, respectively.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a box, which is assembled
into a desired shape by the use of a plurality of box-assembly
devices of the present invention.
[0030] As shown in the drawing, it is possible to produce a
rectangular box, which is open at the front and back thereof, by
assembling the four panels P into a single body by fitting the
box-assembly devices 100 at the front and back of the box.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a view of a plurality of boxes, which are
assembled into a multi-story box arrangement by the use of a
plurality of box-assembly devices of the present invention. As
shown in the drawing, it is possible to assemble a plurality of
rectangular boxes into the multi-story box arrangement by the use
of a plurality of box-assembly devices 100, after assembling each
of multiple rectangular boxes. The structures of the multistory box
arrangement will be described in detail, based on respective
portions A, B, C, and D of the box arrangement.
[0032] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the portion A of FIG. 4. The
box-assembly device of the drawing, which is used at an outermost
comer of the bottom of the multistory box arrangement, does not
require the locking hole 40 or the locking projection 50.
[0033] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 4, in which
two box-assembly devices 100 are used at a junction between two
facing comers of two boxes. One of the two box-assembly devices 100
has the locking hole 40, while the other device 100 has the locking
projection 50, which is configured to mate with the corresponding
locking hole 40.
[0034] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of portion C of FIG. 4, in which
four box-assembly devices 100 are used at a junction between four
facing comers of four boxes. Two of the four box-assembly devices
100 each have the locking holes 40 on the outer surfaces thereof,
while the other two box-assembly devices 100 each have the locking
projections 50 on the outer surfaces thereof.
[0035] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of portion D of FIG. 4, in which
four box-assembly devices 100 are used at a junction between four
facing comers of four boxes. Each of the four box-assembly devices
100 has one locking hole 40 and one locking projection 50 on the
outer surfaces thereof.
[0036] When the boxes having the box-assembly devices are arranged
in such a multi-story box arrangement, a gap may be formed between
the facing boxes, due to the thickness of the box-assembly devices
of FIG. 2. In such a case, it is preferred to remove the gaps by
inserting a finishing member 60 into each of the gaps, so as to
obtain a good appearance for the box arrangement.
[0037] FIG. 9 is a view showing a box-assembly device according to
another embodiment of the present invention, in which the first and
second locking parts 10 and 20 are integrated with each other at an
obtuse angle into a single body. The box-assembly device of this
embodiment is used to construct boxes of a hexagonal shape.
However, it should be understood that the box-assembly device of
the present invention may be designed to construct boxes of
polygonal shapes, such as a pentagonal shape, without affecting the
function of the present invention.
[0038] In this embodiment, the compression ridges, the locking
hole, and the locking projection are formed on the box-assembly
device 100, in the same manner as that described for the embodiment
of FIG. 2, and further explanation of them is thus not deemed
necessary.
[0039] The operational effect of the box-assembly device having the
above-described structure will be described herein below. When a
plurality of panels P are assembled into a box by fitting a
box-assembly device 100 over the edges of two panels at each comer
of the box, the panels P are strongly held by the device 100, due
to the compression ridges 30 formed on the inner surfaces of the
device 100. To assemble the boxes into a desired multi-story box
arrangement after the boxes are each assembled into a single body
by use of the box-assembly devices of FIG. 2, the box-assembly
devices 100 of each constructed box are fastened to each other by
inserting the locking projections 50 into corresponding locking
holes 40 of a corresponding box, respectively. Gaps, formed between
the boxes by the box-assembly devices 100, are removed by using of
the finishing members 60.
[0040] The box-assembly devices are used for assembling a plurality
of boxes into a multi-story box arrangement having partitioned
spaces. These partitioned spaces may be used to store books,
flowerpots, dolls, and other articles for storage as well as for
interior decoration effect.
[0041] As described above, the present invention provides a
box-assembly device, which is simply attached to a comer of a box
so as to assemble the box into a desired shape, thus increasing
work efficiency and improving productivity while producing the
box.
[0042] In addition, the box-assembly device is used for assembling
a plurality of boxes into a desired box arrangement with
partitioned spaces, thus effectively storing articles in the
partitioned spaces.
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