U.S. patent application number 12/996663 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-21 for modular cardboard container for objects requiring easy inspection, consisting of a stackable interchangeable hollow part or "tunnel" and and a pull-out drawer.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASSOGRAPH ITALIA S.R.L.. Invention is credited to Franco Goretti.
Application Number | 20110089799 12/996663 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40301912 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110089799 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goretti; Franco |
April 21, 2011 |
MODULAR CARDBOARD CONTAINER FOR OBJECTS REQUIRING EASY INSPECTION,
CONSISTING OF A STACKABLE INTERCHANGEABLE HOLLOW PART OR "TUNNEL"
AND AND A PULL-OUT DRAWER
Abstract
A container made of bent cardboard and composed of a rectangular
tunnel-shaped part in which a drawer is inserted, the drawer having
longitudinal walls glued to their respective inner walls with a
trapezoidal recess on the two shorter sides for fitting in
complementary flaps present at the two sides of the front and rear
inner walls of the drawer. The front wall of the drawer is greater
than the span of the tunnel so preventing the drawer from
penetrating beyond the rear opening of the tunnel, it being pulled
out from the front due to the presence of two apertures making a
finger-grip. The front wall forms part of a structure holding
together the longitudinal walls of the drawer by two spacer flaps
joined to the sides of the front inner wall, pressed against two
windowed bands joined perpendicularly to their respective
longitudinal walls of the drawer, and matching with the front wall
on the inner side.
Inventors: |
Goretti; Franco; (Vedano Al
Lambro, IT) |
Assignee: |
ASSOGRAPH ITALIA S.R.L.
CESANO MADERNO (MI)
IT
|
Family ID: |
40301912 |
Appl. No.: |
12/996663 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
July 29, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IT08/00515 |
371 Date: |
December 7, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/348.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/2009 20130101;
B65D 85/187 20130101; B65D 5/46056 20130101; B65D 5/248 20130101;
B65D 5/4608 20130101; B65D 5/30 20130101; B65D 5/38 20130101; A47F
5/11 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/348.6 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/46 20060101
B65D005/46 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 30, 2008 |
IT |
MI2008A001213 |
Claims
1. Cardboard container composed of a first part shaped like a
tunnel (1) within which slides a second part shaped like a drawer
(7), said drawer having a base (8) joined to walls (9, 10, 11, 12)
perpendicular to the base, said walls being bent over inwards along
longitudinal creases (34, 37, 40, 41, 21) to form internal walls
(38, 39, 20, 44) for strengthening the drawer from the inside,
characterized in that the drawer also includes the following: one
or more finger-grip apertures (15, 16) cut in a front wall (11); an
external wall (42) narrower than the front wall to which it is
perpendicularly joined towards the inside of the drawer (7); an
internal front wall (44) perpendicularly joined to said external
wall (42); a spacer wall (45) perpendicularly joined to the
internal front wall (44) towards the front wall (11); first and
second windowed hemi-walls (52, 53) joined to the respective
opposing longitudinal walls (9, 10) of the drawer (7) in contact
with the front wall (11) inside said drawer (7); a first pair of
flaps (48a, 49a) perpendicularly joined to the internal front wall
(44) at the two sides of it, with their edges against the
respective windowed hemi-walls (52, 53), each flap being flush with
said external wall (42) and extending for a length shorter than
that of said sides; a second pair of flaps (48b, 49b)
perpendicularly joined to the internal front wall (44) at the two
sides of it, towards the inside of the drawer (7), next to the
flaps of the first pair, and in contact with the respective
opposing longitudinal walls (9, 10), within complementary seats
made in the relative longitudinal inner walls (38, 39).
2. The container as in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal inner
walls (38, 39) are glued to the respective longitudinal walls (9,
10).
3. The container as in claim 1, wherein said complementary seats
are recesses on the side of the respective longitudinal inner walls
(38, 39) their profile (38c, 38d, 38e; 39c, 39d, 39e) matching with
the profile of the flap (49b, 48b).
4. The container as in claim 3, wherein said matching profile is
that of a rectangular trapezium.
5. The container as in claim 1, wherein the perforated finger-grips
(15, 16) consist of two suitably spaced apertures placed side by
side, facing onto the windows (54, 55) in the hemi-walls (52, 53)
in contact, so facilitating a pull on the drawer by insertion of
two fingers.
6. The container as in claim 5, wherein each aperture (15, 16) is
rounded at one end to suit the shape of the fingers and, at the
other end (15b, 16b) is joined to a retroflexed flap (15a, 16a) of
the same shape as the aperture.
7. The container as in claim 1, wherein the drawer (7) also
includes two pairs of matching triangular walls placed between a
rear wall (12) of the drawer (7) and the rear inner wall (20)
associated to it, one pair for each side, where, for each pair: a
first triangular wall is joined (24, 28) to the rear wall (12) of
the drawer (7) in contact with said rear wall; a second triangular
wall is perpendicularly joined (25, 29) to the longitudinal wall
(38, 39) on the same side of the drawer; the two triangular walls
are joined by a crease (27, 31), common to both inclined towards a
meeting point of all the walls concerned.
8. The container as in claim 7, wherein the drawer (7) also
includes a third pair of flaps (22, 23) perpendicularly joined to
the rear inner wall 12 of the drawer (7) at the two sides, and in
contact with a respective longitudinal wall (9, 10) by means of a
recess on the side of the associated inner longitudinal wall (38,
39) whose profile matches with that of the flap so forming a join
that stabilises the rear structure of the drawer (7).
9. The container as in claim 8, wherein said matching profile is
that of a rectangular trapezium.
10. The container as in claim 1 wherein the drawer (7) includes a
handle (17) joined to the rear wall (12) and used to raise said
drawer (1, 7).
11. The container as in claim 2, wherein said complementary seats
are recesses on the side of the respective longitudinal inner walls
(38, 39) their profile (38c, 38d, 38e; 39c, 39d, 39e) matching with
the profile of the flap (49b, 48b).
Description
FIELD OF APPLICATION
[0001] The present invention concerns the field of cardboard
packaging and, more particularly, a modular cardboard container for
goods, said container consisting of a stackable interchangeable
hollow tunnel-shaped part from which a drawer may be pulled out.
The invention may be applied to containers for holding any type of
object compatible with cardboard, to be shown to a potential
purchaser, said container then being returned to its place, after
removal of the contents consequent upon a purchase, without
upsetting the order of the other goods displayed. The invention is
particularly applicable to the sale of footwear.
PRESENT STATE OF THE ART
[0002] A problem that arises during retail sales, made in small
shops or large stores, is that of being able to make an effective
display of the goods for sale while maintaining a certain degree of
order when showing them to customers, whether or not followed by a
sale. In the case of footwear, for example, the boxes need to be
kept piled according to the model or size number. This order will
be correctly established before opening hours, but shortly after
will be interfered with during sales work. For the sales assistant
this creates a difficulty in quickly noting which models have been
sold and must therefore be replaced, and involves extra work by
continually having to put piles of boxes back into their right
order.
[0003] The kind of footwear boxes with lids at present used cannot
solve the problem as, in order to take off the lid and see what is
inside any one box, all those above it will have to be moved. If
that particular model is then sold, the pile will have to be put in
order again to fill up the space left free after the sale. The
sales assistant will not immediately see which models have to be
replaced and, the former order having been destroyed, will take
some time to decide about replacements involving a check on missing
sizes, ordering them from a warehouse and, when received,
re-establishing their order for display. This process will have to
be repeated every time a few sales have been made. What has been
said above for footwear can clearly apply to the many kinds of
articles needing the same type of handling.
[0004] On careful consideration of the needs to be fulfilled by
such a cardboard container, for one thing it is evident that a
certain degree of rigidity is required to withstand the weight of
the pile; the container must be without a lid to avoid having to
move those above when needing to take out its contents, and the
structure of the pile must remain unaltered when the model inside
any one box has been sold and the box remains empty.
[0005] The cardboard containers at present on the market do not
appear to include anything of this kind; for example, those most
like it include a box for "packing men's shirts", or else
"matchboxes" of a larger size than normal.
[0006] The first of these types consists of a cardboard box open at
the top, its sides bent inwards to form a double wall for greater
strength, there being along each edge a flap that, to hold the
whole together, extends from the end of one inner wall towards the
other thus occupying a complementary free area. The package is
completed by a flexible transparent plastic cover of the same depth
as the box. The double wall so formed undoubtedly renders the box
sufficiently rigid to make a pile of boxes holding a light-weight
article such as a shirt, but would not be strong enough for piles
of boxes containing something heavier. Further, the presence of a
lid creates the drawback described above and would continue to
exist even if the lid were replaced by a hollow casing of the same
flexible transparent material.
[0007] The matchbox comprises two parts: one being a hollow casing,
or "tunnel", the other being an open box containing matches that
slides in and out of the casing so that matches can be taken from
either end. But neither is this type of container suitable for the
purpose as the cardboard would have to be very strong in order to
support a pile of boxes containing heavier articles while, to pull
a box out by pressing on one of the two visible faces, would
require a space for access to the back of the pile making it
impossible to stand it up against a wall for greater stability and
for reducing the space occupied. Pulling the box out of its hollow
casing by pressing on one of its sides would still be necessary
even if such a casing were used, instead of a lid, to cover boxes
of men's shirts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Purpose of the present invention is therefore to solve the
above problem by means of a cardboard container, one part of which
consists of a hollow casing, or "tunnel", into which a second
box-shaped part slides, said box-shaped part, here called a drawer,
having a base joined to perpendicular sides folded over inwards to
form an internal wall for greater strength, said drawer also
including: [0009] one or more finger-grip apertures cut in a front
wall; [0010] an external wall narrower than the front wall to which
it is perpendicularly joined towards the inside of the drawer;
[0011] an internal front wall perpendicularly joined to said
external wall; [0012] a spacer wall perpendicularly joined to the
internal front wall towards the front wall; [0013] first and second
windowed hemi-walls joined to the respective opposing longitudinal
walls of the drawer in contact with the front wall inside said
drawer; [0014] a first pair of flaps perpendicularly joined to the
internal front wall at the two sides of it, with their edges
against the respective windowed hemi-walls, each flap being flush
with said external wall and extending for a length shorter than
that of said sides; [0015] a second pair of flaps perpendicularly
joined to the internal front wall at the two sides of it, towards
the inside of the drawer, next to the flaps of the first pair, and
in contact with the respective opposing longitudinal walls, within
complementary seats made in the relative longitudinal inner walls,
as described in claim 1.
[0016] The invention also concerns a method for producing a
cardboard container possessing the characteristics stated in claim
1. This method follows the steps for impressing the required
creases and making the cuts in the two sheets of cardboard, one
sheet for the tunnel and the other for the drawer, for bending them
at the creasing points and any other operations needed to complete
the container.
[0017] Further characteristics of the present invention considered
as innovative are described in the dependent claims.
[0018] The longitudinal internal walls are preferably glued to
their respective side walls, and the joins between flaps and
internal walls stabilise the front structure of the drawer
preventing the longitudinal walls from diverging and causing it to
open partially.
[0019] There are preferably two apertures in the front wall placed
side by side at a convenient distance, so making it easy to insert
two fingers and pull and drawer out. The lower side of each opening
is rounded better to accommodate the fingers, and marked off above
by a crease in the cardboard at a retroflexed flap of the same
shape as the aperture.
[0020] Summing up what has been said of that end of the drawer
described so far, the invention presents a frontage structure
combining three functions: [0021] the object in the drawer is
isolated from the environment so that dust cannot enter; [0022] the
drawer is made more rigid while a base, broader than is usual in
such cases, is supplied making it possible to form a pile of even
heavier objects; [0023] the drawer is extracted by pulling on it so
avoiding any risk of its falling out of the tunnel at the other
end; saving space and allowing for application of a handle to the
drawer for picking it up complete and carrying it.
[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, two pairs of
matching triangular walls are included between the rear wall of the
drawer and the internal wall associated to said rear wall, there
being one pair on each side wherein, for each pair: [0025] a first
triangular wall is joined to the rear wall of the drawer in contact
with said rear wall; [0026] a second triangular wall is joined to
the longitudinal wall on the same side of the drawer, perpendicular
to said longitudinal wall; [0027] these two triangular walls being
joined by a crease, common to both inclined towards a meeting point
of all the walls concerned.
[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, the drawer
includes a third pair of flaps joined to both sides of the wall at
the rear end of the drawer, perpendicular to said wall and in
contact with a respective longitudinal wall at a recess whose
outline matches that of the flap so forming a join that stabilises
the rear structure of the drawer.
[0029] As mentioned above, it is useful to have a handle connected
to the rear wall to facilitate picking up the drawer. The handle
may simply be a piece of cord the ends of which are fitted into the
central holes cut in the wall and firmly fixed, the associated
inner wall preventing entry of dust.
[0030] It will be clear from the above that the invention fully
solves the technical problems described, in that an orderly pile of
boxed goods can be created on the shelves (or even set up on the
floor) allowing articles to be removed without altering the order
of those remaining in the pile. The front openings enable the
drawer to be pulled out leaving its tunnel in place; the fact that
tunnels are interchangeable makes it possible to complete boxing
with another tunnel, and finally, the handles at the back make it
easier to pick up and carry the whole drawer.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] Further purposes and advantages of the present invention
will become clearer from the following detailed description of an
example already realised and from the attached drawings provided
for purely explanatory reasons and therefore implying no
limitation, in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 gives a view, in perspective, of a cardboard "tunnel"
as used in the present invention;
[0033] FIGS. 2 and 3 show front and rear views, in perspective, of
a drawer as used in the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 4 gives a view, in perspective, of the tunnel in FIG. 1
with its drawer, as in FIG. 2, partially pulled out;
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a view, in perspective, of the tunnel in FIG.
1, where the drawer, as in FIG. 3, is completely closed inside;
[0036] FIG. 6 shows the piece of creased cardboard, as used to make
the tunnel, when spread out flat;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows the carton in FIG. 6, in perspective, when
partially bent;
[0038] FIG. 8 shows the cardboard, creased and cut to make the
drawer, spread out flat;
[0039] FIGS. 9 to 12 show views, in perspective, of the drawer in
its various stages of construction;
[0040] FIG. 11A shows the view in FIG. 4 cut through on plane A-A
in FIG. 4;
[0041] FIG. 13 shows a frontal perspective view of a pile of shoe
boxes each consisting of a tunnel and drawer, realised according to
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF REALISING THE INVENTION
[0042] In the following description the same parts that appear in
different figures are marked with the same numbers; in describing
any one figure reference may be made to parts not appearing in that
figure but in previous ones.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, a cardboard structure 1 is bent to a
hollow parallelepiped shape, consisting of five walls 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, perpendicular to each other and joined, two by two, by parallel
creases in the cardboard; of these, the wider walls 3 and 5 form
two bases, walls 2 and 4 are narrower and used to form side walls,
while part 6, the narrowest with an inwardly tapering edge, is a
band glued to the inner face of side wall 2 to keep the structure 1
stable. The two bases 3, 5 and the band 6, are slightly longer than
the side walls 2 and 4 by two or more thicknesses of cardboard.
Access to the inside of structure 1 is made through its opposite
open ends which explains why it will henceforth be referred to as a
"tunnel".
[0044] With reference to FIG. 2, this shows a second cardboard
structure 7 bent into a parallelepiped and consisting of a base 8
from which two longer side walls, 9 and 10 stand up perpendicularly
on opposite sides, and two shorter walls 11 and 12 on the remaining
opposite sides. This structure 7 is open at the top and for this
reason will henceforth be referred to as a "drawer". Walls 9, 10,
11 and 12 are joined to the base 8 by creases in the cardboard;
walls 11 and 12 are perpendicular to walls 9 and 10 to which they
are joined each by its respective connecting structure, 13, 14, of
which a full description is given further on.
[0045] The length of drawer 7 is about equal to that of the tunnel
1, the width of drawer 7 being such that it easily enters the
tunnel 1, remaining in contact with walls 2, 4 (and 6) while doing
so.
[0046] Wall 11 of the drawer 7 is slightly longer than the external
width of tunnel 1; pressing against the edge of tunnel 1, said wall
11 is prevented from sliding out beyond said tunnel's open end.
Approximately in the centre of wall 11 are two apertures, 15 and
16, placed horizontally and serving to pull the drawer 7 out from
the tunnel 1; for this reason wall 11 is described as being at the
"front".
[0047] FIG. 3 shows the "rear" side of the drawer 7; the presence
of a handle 17 on the wall 12 will be noted. In this particular
case, handle 17 consists of a cord the ends of which penetrate
inside two holes, 18 and 19, in the wall 12, where, on the other
side, they fit into rigid tubes to stop them sliding out.
[0048] FIG. 4 shows the drawer 7 partially inside the tunnel 1; it
will be seen here that the front wall 11 of drawer 7 extends at the
sides for two short lengths, or shoulders, 11a and 11b, beyond the
side walls 9 and 10, said lengths 11a and 11b being greater than,
or equal to, the thickness of the cardboard used to make the tunnel
1. The drawer 7 can be pulled out by the two front apertures, 15
and 16, suitably rounded to favour a finger grip. FIG. 5 shows the
drawer 7 from the rear end when completely inside the tunnel 1.
When in this position, the whole can be lifted by the handle 17
without the tunnel 1 sliding downwards due to opposition from
shoulders 11a and 11b of drawer 7 in contact with the edge of
tunnel 1.
[0049] FIG. 6 shows a sheet of cardboard, 1CART, cut and creased,
laid out flat, providing the basic material for making the tunnel
1. Parallel creases 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a have been made in the 1CART
cardboard, these lying crosswise to the length of the piece and to
be used to form the walls of tunnel 1. The pairs of creases 2a-3a
and 4a-5a respectively mark off the two bases 3 and 5. The pair of
creases 3a-4a mark off the side wall 4. The other side wall 2 is
marked off by crease 2a and by a shorter strip of the 1CART
cardboard. The band 6 to be glued is marked off by crease 5a and by
the other shorter strip of the 1CART cardboard. The figure shows
the greater length of bases 3 and 5 compared with lateral walls 2
and 4 on both sides for a length equal to, or greater than, the
thickness of the cardboard. FIG. 7 shows the sheet of 1CART
cardboard bent round the creases referred to above to form the
tunnel 1, shown when not completely closed in order to emphasise
the band 6 to be glued onto the corresponding strip of the internal
wall 2.
[0050] FIG. 8 shows a second sheet of 7CART cardboard, cut and
creased and laid out flat to be used for making the drawer 7. The
series of creases is somewhat complex as this sheet includes the
two connecting structures 13 and 14 (FIG. 2) respectively placed at
the front and rear ends of the drawer. The structure of cuts and
creases of sheet 7CART is symmetrical in relation to a centre line
but is less symmetrical along the transversal axis because of the
difference between the two connecting structures 13 and 14.
Departing longitudinally from left to right a series of bands 45,
44, 42, 11, 8, 12, 20 may be distinguished, placed side by side and
marked off by their respective crosswise creases 43, 41, 40, 33,
32, 21. To state it more precisely, the terminal band 45 lies
between the left-hand edge of the cardboard and the crease 43; band
44 lies between creases 43 and 41; band 42 lies between creases 41
and 40; band 11 lies between creases 40 and 33; band 8 lies between
creases 33 and 32; band 12 lies between creases 32 and 21, while
the terminal band 20 lies between crease 21 and the right-hand edge
of the cardboard. The central band 8 is longer than the others and
forms the base of the drawer; the lengths of bands 44, 11, 12 and
20 are practically the same; bands 45 and 42 are practically of the
same length but are much shorter than band 44. Creases 33 and 32
are longer than creases 43, 41, 40 and 21 which completes the
planimetry of the connecting structure 13 and 14.
[0051] The 7CART sheet also shows the arrangement of longitudinal
creasing to define bands of perpendicular creasing with respect to
those already mentioned. Specifically, a first crease 35 at one
longer side of band 8 marks off this latter from a band 9 adjoining
band 8 and, on the opposite side, adjoining a second band 38 by
means of a crease 34. Similarly, a second crease 36, at the
opposite side of band 8, marks this latter off from a band 10
adjoining a second band 39 by means of a crease 37. Bands 9 and 10
each contain a strip, 9a and 10a, prepared for gluing respectively
to creases 35 and 37.
[0052] The profiles of the two opposing terminal bands 38 and 39
are partially recessed on their opposite free sides. To put this
more precisely, in the dual description, on its side towards the
terminal band 20, the profile of band 38 (39) presents a short
oblique length 38b (39b) that departs from the end of the band and
joins a length 38a (39a) perpendicular to the external edge of said
band. On its side facing terminal band 45, the profile of band 38
(39) presents a short practically central oblique length 38d (39d)
joined by one end to a length 38c (39c) that perpendicularly joins
the crease 34 and, at the opposite end, a length 38e (39e) that
perpendicularly joins the external ends of the band.
[0053] Present on one side of crease 32, and on the same side in
relation to the centre line, is a connecting part 26 (30) comprised
between a crosswise crease 25 (29), on the side of band 9 (10), and
a longitudinal crease 24 (28) at the side of band 12. The profile
of connecting part 26 (30) is a rectangular pseudo-trapezoid, its
upper base and oblique side being slightly inclined inwards and
towards the rounded edge, point of departure of a diagonal crease
27 (31).
[0054] The terminal band 20 presents two rectangular
trapezoidal-shaped lateral flaps, 22 and 23, their greater bases
being on the respective longitudinal creases 22a and 23a at the
sides of band 20, their oblique sides, respectively 22b and 23b,
being on the side of crease 21. The width at the greater base,
respectively 22c and 23c, is much narrower than that of the band
20. The rectangular trapezoidal shape matches with that of the
corresponding lateral profile of bands 38 and 39.
[0055] On the same side as that of crease 33 and on the same side
in relation to the centre line, the dual description makes
reference to a band 52 (53) adjoining band 9 (10), by means of the
crease 33, separated from band 11 by a longitudinal cut 51t (50t)
that enables it to pivot round said crease 33. In band 52 (53) is a
rectangular window 54 (55) open on the free side parallel to crease
33. The cut 51t (50t) extends beyond the line of crease 35 by at
least the thickness of the cardboard, creating extra width 11b
(11a) on band 11 in relation to band 8. Altogether, this extra
width is at least twice the thickness of the cardboard.
[0056] Band 11 presents two curved cuts, 15t and 16t, separated
from each other in a crosswise direction, the semicircular end
being joined to two short rectilinear parallel lengths respectively
by a crease, 15b and 16b, around which the residual cardboard
flaps, respectively 15a and 16a, can pivot. The distance between
creases 15b (16b) and 40 is at least equal to that between the
external continuous edge of band 52 (53) and the side of window 54
(55). The length of said window 54 (55) is greater than that of the
apertures 15a (16a).
[0057] Band 44 presents two lateral flaps, indicated by arrows 48
and 49. These two flaps extend beyond the width of band 44 (ideally
comprised between creases 35 and 36) departing from their
respective creases 46 and 47 at the sides of said band 44. In the
dual description, the width of flap 48 (49) is practically the same
as that of terminal band 45, and is about half (or only a very
little less) than the width between the straight edges, 39c and 39e
(38c and 38e), of band 38 (39). Flap 48 (49) is crossed by an
approximately central oblique cut, 48t (49t), so being divided into
two adjoining rectangular trapezoidal flaps, 48a and 48b (49a and
49b). The angle of inclination of this cut 48t (49t) is of an
absolute value equal to that of the oblique length 39d (38d).
Length of the external edge of flap 48b (49b) is about the same as
that of length 39e (38e).
[0058] The 7CART piece of cardboard is then bent as shown in the
following figures, wherein FIG. 9 shows the first operation that
consists of turning the two bands 38 and 39 up against bands 9 and
10 respectively and gluing the parts 9a and 10a prepared for this
purpose. FIG. 10 shows the how the drawer appears after turning
lateral walls 9 and 10 inward by 90.degree. around creases 35 and
36, gluing them to their respective inner walls 38 and 39 so
providing extra lateral strength. At this stage the two connecting
parts 26 and 30 are also pulled inward by turning the respective
walls to which they are joined. It will be noted that, at the end
of the drawer being formed, the two windowed bands, 52 and 53, are
drawn towards the inside of walls 9 and 10 to which they are
joined, and are also turned a further 90.degree. inwards round
crease 33 common to both, thereby creating a window of double
length on the front of the drawer. The figure also shows that band
11, with everything connected to it, begins to turn inwards around
crease 33. Simultaneously with this turning movement, band 44
together with the narrower band 42, starts to make a further inward
turn around crease 40 causing the lateral flaps to become separated
from each other.
[0059] FIG. 11 repeats in greater detail what has been said above
about the complex way the cardboard has to be bent at the front end
of the drawer. From this figure it will be seen that the two
windowed bands, 52 and 53, pivot around the short sides of lateral
walls 9 and 10. On completing their turn, windows 54 and 55 become
one single window facing onto openings 15 and 16 in the front wall
11 due to the crossing movement made by flaps 15a and 16a. Note
should be also taken of the configuration produced by the
reciprocal positions assumed by flaps 48a and 48b, 49a and 49b.
Flaps 48b and 49b, nearer to terminal band 45, make a 90.degree.
turn outwards round their respective creases 47 and 46, while the
other flaps, 48a and 49a, nearer to band 42, make a 90.degree. turn
inwards; this means that the flaps departing from one and the same
lateral crease of band 44, reciprocally rotate at 180.degree. in
relation to their respective creases, occupying a double width on
the plane containing them. The seat to be occupied by flap 48b is
seen foreshortened on the side wall 10, as marked off by lateral
edge 39e, 39d and 39c of the inner wall 39, centrally inclined
towards the base 8.
[0060] FIG. 11A shows a section view of how the structure in the
preceding figure looks when bending has been completed. It will be
seen from this Figure that, starting from the incomplete structure
with the two windowed bands, 52 and 53, lying sideways to their
respective side walls 9 and 10, a strong frontal structure can be
obtained by the following sequence of bending operations: [0061]
bending band 11 at 90.degree. in relation to the base 8 so forming
a front wall of the drawer 7 matching with the two windowed bands
52, 53; [0062] rotation at 90.degree. of the two flaps 48a, 49a
towards the inside of drawer 7, and rotation at 90.degree. of the
two flaps 48b and 49b in the opposite direction; [0063]
introduction of band 44 and related flaps (bent as above) into the
space inside the drawer, marked off by inner longitudinal walls 38,
39 and by the pair of windowed bands 52 and 54 crosswise to said
walls, movements that automatically cause inward bending of
intermediate band 42 joining the front wall 11 to band 44, to form
an inner wall inside the drawer 7; [0064] rotation of terminal band
45 towards the front wall 11 and its insertion beneath the two
windowed bands 52 and 53, with the edge in contact with wall 11.
This movement is made jointly with insertion of the two flaps 48b
and 49b into their respective complementary seats in the
longitudinal inner walls 39 and 38; [0065] inward rotation of flaps
15a and 16a around creases 15b and 16b by fitting two fingers into
apertures 15 and 16 when the drawer is first pulled out from its
tunnel.
[0066] The bending movements described in relation to FIGS. 11 and
11A can be made independently of those for the rear of the drawer.
The strengthening structure on the front of the drawer, seen in
FIG. 11A, comprises: [0067] a front wall 11 with apertures cut in
it, joined to the base 8 of the drawer 7 and perpendicular to said
base; [0068] an external wall 42, narrower than the preceding one,
perpendicularly joined to the front wall 11 inside the drawer 7;
[0069] an internal wall 44 joined perpendicularly to the external
wall 42; [0070] a spacer wall 45 perpendicularly joined to the
internal wall 44 towards the front wall 11; [0071] first and second
windowed walls, 52 and 53, joined to their respective lateral walls
9 and 10 of drawer 7, in contact with the inside of the front wall
11 of the drawer 7; [0072] a first pair of spacer flaps, 48a and
49a, perpendicularly joined to the two sides of the internal wall
44, with the edge against their respective windowed walls, 52 and
53, departing from the external wall 42 and extending for a length
shorter than said sides; [0073] a second pair of spacer flaps 48b
and 49b next to the spacer flaps of the first pair perpendicular to
the inner wall 44 towards the inside of the drawer 7, in contact
with their respective opposing side walls, 9 and 10, in
complementary seats made in the inner walls 38 and 39.
[0074] FIG. 11A shows a compact structure internally strengthened
by the position of the flaps 48a and 49a whose edges press against
the windowed walls 53 and 52, which in turn press against the front
wall 11. The lower band 45 doubles the thickness of the base of the
drawer in that area and, fitting in below the windowed bands 52 and
53, keeps the structure's internal space completely isolated from
the inside of the drawer 7, thus preventing dust from entering. The
join made by flaps 48b and 49b in the rectangular trapezoidal seats
of the inner longitudinal walls 39 and 38, hinders any possibility
of the wall 44 turning towards said flaps, which would weaken the
structure at the front of the drawer, thus helping to keep the side
walls 9 and 10 anchored to the front wall 11. Frontal rigidity is
also increased by flaps 16a and 16b when these are fully pressed
inwards.
[0075] FIG. 12 gives an illustration of how the cardboard is bent
to form the rear of the drawer 7 starting from the ideal
configuration in FIG. 10. In actual fact this configuration cannot
be realized on account of elasticity of the diagonal creases 27 and
31 that tend to fold up the triangular bands that meet there, as
shown by FIG. 12. The rear structure of the drawer 7 can be
completed by a continuous turn of the terminal wall 20 towards the
inside of the drawer 7 till flaps 22 and 23 are fully fitted into
their respective complementary seats on the sides of the inner
walls 38 and 39. Application of slight pressure to band 12 assists
the manoeuvre. The triangular parts close at the same time as band
12 rises, closure being completed when said band becomes
perpendicular to the base 8; further pressure against the terminal
band 20 causes it to turn around the crease 21 till is makes
contact with parts 26 and 30. Simultaneously with rotation of band
20, the two flaps 22 and 23 become bent inwards at 90.degree. by
pressure against them from the side walls 9 and 10 of the drawer 7.
Flaps 22 and 23 become fully bent back at 90.degree. when band 20
enters in contact with parts 26 and 30, at which point flaps 22 and
23 are already fitted into their seats. The resulting join keeps
the structure well pressed between the rear wall 12 and the inner
wall 20 thus keeping the side walls 9 and 10 of the drawer 7 up
against the rear wall 20. Due to the presence of as many as four
thicknesses of cardboard reciprocally in contact, this structure
maintains a sufficiently rigid rear end of the drawer.
[0076] The final configuration of the join may be seen in FIG. 2
which is achieved by completing bending work as in FIG. 12, with
the rectilinear section 23c (22c) of the flap 23 (22) in contact
with the rectilinear edge 39a (38a) of the inner wall 38 (39), and
the oblique section 23b (22b) in contact with the oblique edge 39c
(38c). FIG. 12 also shows two rigid tubes 17a and 17b that keep the
ends of the cord 17, serving as a handle, firmly in place.
[0077] From the description given of a preferred realization of the
invention, it is clear that a number of changes can be made to it
by an expert in the field without thereby departing from the sphere
of the invention as will appear from the following claims.
[0078] FIG. 13 shows three piles of drawers, inside their tunnels,
all containing footwear arranged according to the model--MOD1,
MOD2, MOD3--and, within each pile, according to foot size that
increases from the bottom upwards. It will be seen that some sizes
are missing having already been sold but the tunnel holding that
drawer remains in place thus maintaining the initial order of the
pile. One drawer has been partly pulled out to show the contents.
The figure illustrates a particularly unfavourable situation due to
the presence of an empty space right at the bottom of the pile: in
that case the tunnel must sustain the weight of the entire pile
without adequate reinforcement, but for this situation the present
invention offers a solution: all that is needed is to fit in some
drawer of a colour different from the others.
* * * * *