US20060283733A1

US20060283733A1 - Transparent or translucent box for footwear

Info

Publication number: US20060283733A1
Application number: US11/443,191
Authority: US
Inventors: Pedro Masa
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-31
Filing date: 2006-05-31
Publication date: 2006-12-21
Also published as: CA2542240A1; EP1728733A1

Abstract

An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear, made up of a completely transparent box, made in plastic materials from a thin, ductile, malleable or rigid tear-resistant die-cut laminar sheet which is assembled on the free edge of the body and cover of said box, by means of a metal reinforcement fitted by pressure on the open edge and corners of both parts and comprising different composition models.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an improved transparent or translucent box for footwear, which allows seeing the footwear inside it, substantially improving the traditional format of the typical cardboard boxes, contributing many more advantages in the manufacture, handling and finishing of the box; control of the product within, storage and subsequent use given that once the merchandise is sold, the traditional box is usually thrown away without any apparent reuse in connection with the footwear, which, in this case, is particularly useful and practical for storing it given that the permanent view of the footwear makes locating it easy, without having to take the footwear out of the box.
Up to now it has not been possible to substitute the traditional cardboard boxes, made up of a body and a cover and with a rectangular parallelepiped configuration due to the optimal conditions of storage, stacking, footwear packaging, protection of the footwear and labelling possibilities for identifying with certain ease the form, model, colour, size and others. These features are especially improved with the incorporation of the transformation of the box into a transparent box, especially moulded or configured in plastic materials of small thickness such as is provided in the background of the state of the art of the very applicant and inventor, with different design versions depending on the image that is to be given to the content and its use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To such effect and in reference to the foregoing, reference is made to Spanish Utility Model U 200000253 for a TRANSPARENT SHOE BOX dated Feb. 04, 2000, and Community Industrial Design No. K 197 959 dated Jul. 06, 2004, which disclose a box with a rectangular parallelepiped format consisting of a body and a cover fitted on the contour of the former and with a certain inner relief on said body for coupling of the footwear, but although this is a reinforcement of the structure it implies a complication in the moulding process and it dissipates the clarity of visibility of the footwear.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to maintain the inventive step corresponding to the transparent or translucent features of the box and its traditional body and cover format, and in order to persist in the suitable materialising conditions for manufacturing the box in a sufficiently ductile or flexible plastic material of little thickness which advantageously makes the box unbreakable and cheaper, for example a polycarbonate, methacrylate or another manufactured or configured material, an appropriate structuring becomes necessary in order to assemble said box and prevent the deformation thereof when the weight of the footwear within it tends to deform the box, rather the body of the box, especially when the cover is removed, which cover in any case stiffens it to a certain extent.
To this end and in order to speed up the manufacture and make it cheaper, a laminar die-cut template is arranged on the aforementioned transparent materials comprising on the one hand the pattern for the body and on the other hand that of the cover, provided with overlapping means on the edges or rims of the different sides, flanks and ends in alternative arrangements which, once folded along their respective folding creases, join said parts to one another to stiffen said two parts.
For this purpose, the invention also provides for reinforcing the free or open edges of said referred parts, in any of the different forms of the box, with a U-shaped profile rigid rib, preferably in stainless steel, which fits and closes on said edges occupying them almost completely, except for the corners of said parts in a small portion which is likewise reinforced.
To reinforce said corners the invention has angled corner protectors provided, also with a U-shaped profile, which have wedge-shaped underpinnings in the inner walls of said profile, in order to equally adjust and close on the edges of the corners of the body of the box and fit or embed said corner protectors against the edges of the ribs making said corner protectors impossible to disassemble, such that without altering the moulded box and, in a subsequent manufacturing stage, said reinforcements are assembled providing it with the necessary rigidity and without taking away the transparent character thereof given that said arrangement is in its case covered by the peripheral tab of the cover, which it also serves to tighten so that it does not open or fall by chance, camouflaging the reinforcement of the body and leaving, in any case, that of the cover visible.
According to the invention it is a fundamental function of the box the ability to see the footwear, providing advantages that the traditional box did not provide, improving its usefulness, possibly being of any transparent or translucent material made of plastic, polycarbonates, methacrylates, glass or others, their shapes, design, dimensions and the like being alterable depending on the market demands in relation to the purpose and specific features of the product it is intended for.
Within the possible embodiment options the presentation of the box format is considered in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with a cover; with a box and removable drawer format; with a format of a box with a folding side cover; with an articulated traditional cover and with the respective parts reinforced in the manner described in the previous features.
In another embodiment option, a format is provided in which the cover and the box are provided with lateral handle means associated with corresponding closing means on the cover which allows closing by overlapping said cover, leaving openings in the box which serve as handles.
A wider idea of the features of the invention shall be given below, by making reference to the sheets of drawings which are enclosed with this specification, where the preferred details of the invention are shown rather schematically and only as an example.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the box (1) with separated cover (3) and body (2), and the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs (4) on the edge thereof.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the corner (5) of said body (2) and of the reinforcing corner protection (6).
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a sectioned detail of the reinforcing corner protection (6).
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the reinforcing corner protection (6).
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the body (2) of the box (1) with the arrangement of the complete reinforcement on the edge thereof.
FIG. 6 shows a developed view of the laminar template with the box body pattern.
FIG. 7 shows a developed view of the laminar template with the box cover pattern.
FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a removable drawer box model. And FIG. 8A is a developed view of the sheet for the box body.
FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a box model with a folding side cover. And FIG. 9A is a developed view of the sheet of the assembly.
FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a box with an articulated cover.
FIGS. 11 and 12 show open and closed perspective views of a box with handles on two sides.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show details of the manner of assembling said handle fasteners.
FIG. 15 shows a section view according to line I-I of FIG. 14.
FIGS. 16 and 17 show developed views of the box and cover sheets of FIGS. 11 and 12.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Generally according to said illustrations, the footwear box (1) of the invention with the traditional cardboard box format used to this effect, manufactured in transparent or translucent materials which allow to see inside them, preferably ductile, malleable or rigid plastic materials of any type but which are tear-resistant, and in which in order to be suitably assembled so that they maintain structural rigidity and resistance, the body (2) is reinforced by means of a stainless steel rib (4) with an inverted U-shaped profile which is assembled on the open edges of the box body (2) and cover (3), except in the corners (5) (5A), respectively, closing upon them by means of a mechanical compressing or nipping action.
The corners (5), (5A) are equally covered by means of corner protectors (6) of angular shape (7) and an inverted U-shaped section (8) with wedge-shaped underpinnings (9) on the side walls to ensure the pressure of said part in the corners (5) (5A), and ribs (9A) which perform the underpinning against the inner edge of the rib (4) to prevent these from dislodging.
Thus the box (1) is totally assembled and cannot be deformed, the transparent character of said box (1) being unaffected, such that the peripheral tab (10) of the cover (3) covers the reinforcement of the body (2) while at the same time acting as an adjustment for a suitable closing of said cover (3) on the body (2).
According to the invention, both parts (2) and (3) are preferably made from a transparent or translucent laminar sheet of little thickness in a plastic material (2A) and (3A) (FIGS. 6 and 7), with the unfolded format of the body (2) and the cover (3) of the box (1) which is made up of, in each case, the base sector (20) (30) of two symmetrical sides (21) and (22); (31) and (32); two symmetrical ends (23) and (24); (33) and (34); alternatively provided with grooves (25), (35) and tongues (26) and (36) in each case on their respective vertical edges, which overlap to form the mentioned body (2) and cover (3).
In another model the transparent box (1) of FIG. 8 has a body (11), the development of which is shown in FIG. 8A, in which the corresponding drawer (12) is housed which is extracted by sliding and which is equally reinforced by a rib (4) and corner protectors (6) and optionally has a loop (12A) to aid is extraction.
In another model the transparent box (1) of FIG. 9 is formed by a body (11) which on one of its sides has a folding cover (13), the development of which is shown in FIG. 9A, that folds over an articulated edge (14) which equally has reinforcements (4) and (6) and optionally has a loop (12A) and handles (11A).
In another model the transparent box (1) of FIG. 10 has a body (11) and a cover (15) articulated by means of compass-type articulating members (16) in which, as in the previous case, the cover is always joined to the body of the box, which has a fastener (15A) over the anchor (15B) and equally has chest-like reinforcements (4) and (6).
In another model the transparent box (1) of FIG. 10 has a body (11) and a cover (19) which on two of its opposite sides has symmetrical die-cuttings providing a flap (17) which by simple deviation houses in as many grooves (18) die-cut on the box (11) in direct connection with the flaps (17) to allow, on the one hand, the hooked fastening thereof and, on the other hand, the option of holding the box by the openings, which show their respective developments in FIGS. 16 and 17 with equal identifications as in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Once the nature of the invention is conveniently described, it is suitably set forth that the same is not limited to the exact details of this description, but that on the contrary, suitable modifications shall be introduced therein as long as they do not alter the essential features thereof, which are claimed below.

Claims

1. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear, of the type made up of a shoebox of traditional format, with a body and cover in transparent material and conveniently assembled, characterised in that it is a box (1) developed from a laminar sheet of small thickness in plastic transparent or translucent ductile, malleable or rigid tear resistant material or similar, which allows to see inside, which has been assembled by reinforcements on the open edge of the body (2) and the cover (3) by means of a metallic rib (4), closed thereon, except on the corners (5) of each part, which are covered with other corresponding and equally metal corner protectors (6) fixed by pressure and underpinned to the rib (4).

2. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to the previous claim, in which the laminar sheet configuring the body and cover of the box is characterised in that it has a pattern (2A) for the body and another pattern (3A) for the box in a single piece having a base sector (20) and (30), two equal side sectors (21 and 22); (31 and 32); with two equal end sectors (23 and 24); (33 and u 34) and alternatively provided with grooves (25) and flaps (26) on their edges for assembling said parts to one another.

3. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which said metallic ribs are characterised in that they are inverted U-shaped metal profiles (4) and preferably in stainless steel.

4. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which the corresponding corner protectors for closing and protecting the corners of the body are characterised in that they are metal parts with angular shape (7), preferably in stainless steel, with inverted U-shape profile (8) having inside wedge-shaped underpinnings (9) on the side walls with ribs (9A) to fit by pressure over said corners (5) of the body (2) and against the rib (4).

5. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which the reinforcement of the body in all its contour is characterised in that it is covered by the peripheral tab (10) of the cover (3) of the box (1) to which said reinforcement provides adjustment.

6. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it is made up of a body (11) where a sliding drawer (12) is guided, and which is removed by one of its sides and has reinforcements the same as those of the body (2) and the cover (3) and optionally a front loop (12A) to allow extraction thereof.

7. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it also has a body (11) and a folding cover (13) which, on one of its sides is joined to the box by means of an articulation edge (14) and also has reinforcements (4) and (6), a front loop (12A) and optionally handles (11A).

8. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it also has a body (11) and a cover (15) articulated by means of mechanical compass-type members (16), with closing means (15A) and anchoring means (15B), and chest-like reinforcements (4) and (6).

9. An improved transparent or translucent box for footwear according to claim 1, in which in another model the transparent box (1) is characterised in that it has a body (11) and a loose cover (19), both equally with reinforcements (4) and (6), which cover, on two of its opposite sides, is provided with deformable die-cuttings in the shape of flaps (17) which fit into respective grooves (18) of the body (11) directly opposing them to secure the fastening and allow holding.