JP7704048B2 - Tray - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tray.

One type of cardboard tray has front and rear end walls and left and right side walls connected to a bottom plate, with left and right flaps connected to both side walls respectively overlapping the inner surfaces of the end walls, and the tips of the left and right flaps interlocking with each other in the vertical direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In this configuration, the left and right flaps provided on the left and right side walls, respectively, are connected to each other to prevent the both side walls from opening in the left and right direction.

Patent No. 6974643

In the conventional trays mentioned above, the tips of the left and right flaps are formed with vertically recessed recesses, and these recesses are combined vertically. With this configuration, the tips of the flaps tend to move vertically, which creates a problem in that the side walls are difficult to stabilize.

The objective of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a tray that can stabilize the side walls and battens.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a tray comprising a bottom plate, front and rear end walls connected to the bottom plate, left and right side walls connected to the bottom plate, and left and right battens protruding inward from the upper edges of the side walls. The tray also comprises a left flap connected to the left batten and overlapping the inner surface of the end wall, and a right flap connected to the right batten and overlapping the inner surface of the end wall. A lower engagement portion is formed at the lower part of the left flap, which protrudes rightward more than the upper part, and an upper engagement portion is formed at the upper part of the right flap, which protrudes leftward more than the lower part. The upper engagement portion of the right flap is inserted between a locking portion protruding from the edge of the left batten and the lower engagement portion of the left flap.

In the tray of the present invention, the left and right flaps are connected to the side walls via crosspieces, and the right flap is restricted in its vertical movement by the locking portion of the left crosspiece and the lower engagement portion of the left flap, while the left flap is restricted in its vertical movement by the upper engagement portion of the right flap.
Therefore, in the tray of the present invention, the left and right flaps are less likely to move up and down, so that the side walls and the battens can be stabilized. Also, the strength of the battens can be increased against the force applied when the battens are gripped and pulled up.

In the above-mentioned tray, when a first partition plate extending in the front-rear direction is provided between the both side walls, it is preferable that the left-right leading edge portions of the crosspiece are connected to the upper edge portion of the first partition plate.
In this configuration, when assembling the tray, the crosspiece is bent inwardly relative to the side walls, and the first partition plate is positioned between both side walls, making it easy to assemble a tray whose internal space is divided into left and right sections.

In the above-mentioned tray, when a second partition plate extending in the left-right direction is provided between the both side walls, it is preferable that the upper part of the second partition plate is connected to the upper part of the first partition plate via a bending portion.
In this configuration, when assembling the tray, the crosspiece is bent inward toward the side wall, and the first partition plate and the second partition plate are positioned between both side walls, making it easy to assemble a tray whose internal space is divided into front, back, left and right.

In the tray of the present invention, the left and right flaps connected to the side walls via the battens are less likely to move vertically, stabilizing the side walls and battens and increasing the strength of the battens against vertical forces.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, seen from the upper left front side. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing blank sheets for a tray according to an embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tray according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line III-III of FIG. 1. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a procedure for assembling the tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the state before the crosspieces are folded inward. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a procedure for assembling the tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the left batten is folded inward. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a procedure for assembling the tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the right-hand side batten is folded inward.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, the front, rear, left and right directions are set for the sake of convenience in describing the tray of this embodiment, and do not limit the configuration or usage of the tray.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tray 1 of this embodiment comprises a bottom plate 10, front and rear end walls 20, 20 connected to the bottom plate 10, and left and right side walls 30, 30 connected to the bottom plate 10. The tray 1 also comprises front, rear, left and right crosspieces 40 protruding inward from the upper edges of the side walls 30, 30, respectively, a left flap 50 superimposed on the inner surface of the end wall 20, and a right flap 60 superimposed on the inner surface of the end wall 20. A first partition plate 70 extending in the front-rear direction and a second partition plate 80 extending in the left-right direction are raised on the bottom plate 10 of the tray 1.

The tray 1 of this embodiment is formed by mountain-folding or valley-folding a blank sheet S cut out from a cardboard sheet at each fold line, as shown in Fig. 2. The blank sheet S shown in Fig. 2 is arranged so that the inner side is visible.
The fold lines of the blank sheet S are creases (pressed creases) formed by linearly pressing the surface of the blank sheet S. Note that intermittent cuts may be formed in the creases. In this way, it becomes easier to fold the blank sheet S at the fold lines.
Alternatively, the folded line may be formed by forming a half-cut slit only on the surface of the sheet or a slit penetrating the sheet in an intermittent linear fashion.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom plate 10 is formed in a rectangular shape (see FIG. 2).
A front end wall 20 is connected to the front edge of the bottom plate 10 via a folding line. The front end wall 20 is formed in a quadrangle shape and extends upward from the front edge of the bottom plate 10. The front end wall 20 is formed perpendicular to the bottom plate 10.
A rear end wall 20 is connected via a folding line to the rear edge of the bottom plate 10. The front and rear end walls 20, 20 are formed symmetrically in the front-rear direction.

A left side wall 30 is connected to the left edge of the bottom plate 10 via a folding line. The left side wall 30 is formed in a quadrangle shape and extends upward from the left edge of the bottom plate 10. The left side wall 30 is formed perpendicular to the bottom plate 10.
An inner wall 31 is connected via a folding line to the middle part of the upper edge part of the left side wall 30. The inner wall 31 is folded back inward with respect to the side wall 30 and overlaps with the inner surface of the side wall 30.

A right side wall 30 is connected to the right edge of the bottom plate 10 via a folding line. The left and right side walls 30, 30 are formed symmetrically.
An inner wall 32 is connected via a fold line to the middle part of the upper edge part of the right side wall 30. The inner wall 32 is folded inward relative to the side wall 30 and overlaps the inner surface of the side wall 30 in a doubly folded state.

1, a left front crosspiece 40 is connected to the front end of the upper edge of the left side wall 30 via a fold line. Also, a left rear crosspiece 40 is connected to the rear end of the upper edge of the left side wall 30 via a fold line.
The batten 40 is bent inward relative to the side wall 30. The batten 40 extends perpendicular to the side wall 30.
The batten 40 extends in a strip shape along the upper edge of the end wall 20. The batten 40 is formed to have a length half the length of the upper edge of the end wall 20.

A right front slat 40 and a right rear slat 40 are connected via a folding line to the front and rear ends of the upper edge of the right side wall 30. The front and rear slats 40, 40 on the right side are formed symmetrically with respect to the front and rear slats 40, 40 on the left side.
The leading edge portions of the left and right crosspieces 40, 40 are butted against each other at the center of the upper opening of the tray 1 in the left-right direction.

The first partition plate 70 is disposed in the center in the left-right direction between the left and right side walls 30, 30. In this embodiment, the left and right first partition plates 70, 70 are overlapped with each other.
The first partition plate 70 extends in the front-rear direction across the front and rear inner surfaces of the internal space of the tray 1. The first partition plates 70, 70 divide the internal space of the tray 1 into left and right.

The leading edge of the left front crosspiece 40 is connected to the front end of the upper edge of the left first partition plate 70 via a fold line. Also, the leading edge of the left rear crosspiece 40 is connected to the rear end of the upper edge of the left first partition plate 70 via a fold line (see FIG. 4).
The leading edge of the right front crosspiece 40 is connected to the front end of the upper edge of the right first partition plate 70 via a fold line. Also, the leading edge of the right rear crosspiece 40 is connected to the rear end of the upper edge of the right first partition plate 70 via a fold line (see FIG. 4).

The second partition plate 80 is disposed in the center in the front-rear direction between the left and right side walls 30, 30.
The second partition plate 80 extends in the left-right direction across the left and right inner surfaces of the internal space of the tray 1. The second partition plate 80 divides the internal space of the tray 1 into front and rear spaces.
The internal space of the tray 1 in this embodiment is divided into four spaces, front, rear, left and right, by first partition plates 70, 70 and a second partition plate 80.

The upper edge of the second partition plate 80 is connected to the upper part of the first partition plate 70 on the left side via a bent portion 71 .
The bent portion 71 is a portion formed by bending a part of the central portion in the front-rear direction of the upper portion of the left first partition plate 70, and is formed in a quadrant shape in this embodiment. The bent portion 71 is bent perpendicularly to the first partition plate 70 so as to protrude to the left side.
An upper edge of the second partition plate 80 is connected to the upper edge of the bent portion 71 via a fold line. The second partition plate 80 is folded back rearward from the bent portion 71. The left and right first partition plates 70, 70 are inserted into connecting recesses 81 formed in the lower edge of the second partition plate 80.

In the state of the blank sheet S shown in FIG. 2, the inner walls 31, 32 and the second partition plate 80 are contained within the area surrounded by the side wall 30, the two battens 40, 40, and the first partition plate 70. In this way, since the blank sheet S is formed into a roughly rectangular flat plate, fewer areas need to be cut out from the sheet when manufacturing the blank sheet S, and cutting waste can be reduced, allowing for efficient use of resources.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front left flap 50 is connected to the front edge of the left front crosspiece 40 via a fold line. The left flap 50 is folded downward relative to the left front crosspiece 40. The left flap 50 is overlapped on the inner surface of the front end wall 20. The lower edge of the left flap 50 is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom plate 10.

3, the upper portion of the left flap 50 is formed shorter than the front edge of the left front crosspiece 40. The left flap 50 is not connected to the tip end (right end) of the front edge of the left front crosspiece 40.
1, a locking portion 41 is formed at the front edge of the left front crosspiece 40 at a portion where the left flap 50 is not connected. The length of the locking portion 41 that protrudes forward is approximately the thickness of the blank sheet.
A lower engagement portion 51 that protrudes rightward from an upper portion of the left flap 50 is formed at a lower portion of the left flap 50. The tip of the lower engagement portion 51 is located to the right of the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction.
Between the locking portion 41 of the crosspiece 40 and the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50, a recessed portion is formed to the left of the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction.

At the lower edge of the left flap 50, at a position corresponding to the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction, a fixing recess 52 is formed, recessed upward. Two fixing protrusions 72, 72 protruding from the front edges of the left and right first partition plates 70, 70 are inserted into the fixing recess 52.

A front right flap 60 is connected to the front edge of the right front crosspiece 40 via a fold line. The right flap 60 is folded downward relative to the right front crosspiece 40. The right flap 60 is overlapped on the inner surface of the front end wall 20.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the lower portion of the right flap 60 is formed shorter than the front edge portion of the right front crosspiece 40 .
An upper engagement portion 61 that protrudes leftward more than the lower portion is formed on the upper portion of the right flap 60. The tip of the upper engagement portion 61 is located leftward of the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction.

The upper engagement portion 61 of the right flap 60 fits between the locking portion 41 of the left crosspiece 40 and the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50. In other words, the upper engagement portion 61 of the right flap 60 is sandwiched from above and below by the locking portion 41 of the left crosspiece 40 and the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50.
As a result, when the right flap 60 tries to move upward, the upper engagement portion 61 comes into contact with the locking portion 41, restricting the upward movement. Also, when the right flap 60 tries to move downward, the upper engagement portion 61 comes into contact with the lower engagement portion 51, restricting the downward movement.

As shown in FIG. 1, a rear left flap 50 is connected to the rear edge of the left rear crosspiece 40. A rear right flap 60 is connected to the rear edge of the right rear crosspiece 40. The rear left flap 50 and right flap 60 are formed symmetrically with the front left flap 50 and right flap 60.

4, when assembling the tray 1 of this embodiment, first, the front and rear end walls 20, 20 and the left and right side walls 30, 30 are raised up against the bottom plate 10. Next, the inner walls 31, 32 are folded back against the both side walls 30, 30, respectively, so that the inner walls 31, 32 overlap the inner surface of the side wall 30.
Furthermore, the left flap 50 and the first partition plate 70 are raised relative to the left-side crosspieces 40, 40. At this time, when the fixing protrusion 72 of the first partition plate 70 is inserted into the fixing recess 52 of the left flap 50, the left flap 50 and the first partition plate 70 are stabilized.
The second partition plate 80 , together with the first partition plate 70 , is bent relative to both cross plates 40 , 40 and hangs down relative to both cross plates 40 .
Additionally, the right flap 60 and the first partition plate 70 are raised relative to the right-side crosspieces 40, 40.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the front and rear crosspieces 40, 40 are folded inward relative to the left side wall 30, the left flap 50 is placed on the inner surface of the end wall 20, and the first and second partition plates 70, 80 on the left side are positioned in the center between the both side walls 30, 30. The second partition plate 80 is positioned above the first partition plate 70.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, when the front and rear crosspieces 40, 40 are folded inward relative to the right side wall 30, the right flap 60 is overlapped on the inner surface of the end wall 20, and the right first partition plate 70 is positioned in the center between the both side walls 30, 30, and the left and right first partition plates 70, 70 are overlapped.

The fixing protrusions 72, 72 of both first partition plates 70, 70 are inserted into the fixing recesses 52 of the left flap 50. This keeps both first partition plates 70, 70 in a vertically raised state relative to the bottom plate 10.

1, the bent portion 71 of the left first partition plate 70 is bent so as to protrude leftward relative to the left first partition plate 70, and the second partition plate 80 is folded downward relative to the bent portion 71. At this time, both first partition plates 70, 70 are inserted into the connecting recess 81 of the second partition plate 80.
As a result, the first partition plates 70, 70 and the second partition plate 80 are arranged in a cross shape in a plan view in the internal space of the tray 1. In this manner, the internal space of the tray 1 can be easily divided into four spaces, namely, front, rear, left and right.

The upper engagement portion 61 of the right flap 60 is disposed above the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50. The tip of the upper engagement portion 61 fits between the locking portion 41 of the left crosspiece 40 and the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50.

3, in the tray 1 of this embodiment as described above, the right flap 60 connected to the right-side crosspiece 40 is restricted from moving in the up-down direction by the locking portion 41 of the left-side crosspiece 40 and the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50. Moreover, the left flap 50 connected to the left-side crosspiece 40 is restricted from moving in the up-down direction by the upper engagement portion 61 of the right flap 60.
Therefore, in the tray 1 of this embodiment, the left flap 50 and the right flap 60 are unlikely to move in the vertical direction, so that the left and right side walls 30, 30 and each of the crosspieces 40 can be stabilized.

In addition, when the batten 40 is grasped and pulled up to move the tray 1, the batten 40 is supported by the left flap 50 and the right flap 60, thereby increasing the strength of the batten 40 against the pulling force.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the tray 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the left flap 50 and the right flap 60 are provided on the front and rear sides, but the left flap 50 and the right flap 60 may be provided on only one side, the front or the rear.

In the tray 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the lower engagement portion 51 of the left flap 50 is located to the right of the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction, but the tip of the lower engagement portion 51 may be located in the center of the end wall 20 in the left-right direction or to the left of the center.

In the tray 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the internal space is divided into four spaces by the first partition plate 70 and the second partition plate 80, but the number and shape of the partition plates are not limited. Furthermore, the partition plates do not have to be provided.
For example, if a second partition plate 80 is connected to the first partition plate 70 on the right side and the two second partition plates 80, 80 are arranged with a gap in the front-to-rear direction, the internal space of the tray 1 can be divided into six spaces.
Furthermore, if another first partition plate 70 is connected between the front and rear battens 40, 40 and a second partition plate 80 is connected to the other first partition plate 70, so that the four first partition plates 70 are arranged with spaces between them in the left-right direction, the internal space of the tray 1 can be divided into eight spaces.

The tray 1 in this embodiment is made of cardboard, but the tray may also be made of any known paperboard.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tray 10 bottom plate 20 end wall 30 side wall 31 left inner wall 32 right inner wall 40 crosspiece 41 locking portion 50 left flap 51 lower engagement portion 52 fixing recess 60 right flap 61 upper engagement portion 70 first partition plate 71 folded portion 72 fixing protrusion 80 second partition plate 81 connecting recess S blank sheet

Claims (3)

The bottom plate and
front and rear end walls connected to the bottom plate;
Left and right side walls connected to the bottom plate;
Left and right crosspieces protruding inward from upper edges of the side walls, respectively;
A left flap connected to the left side crosspiece and overlapping the inner surface of the end wall;
a right flap connected to the right side crosspiece and overlapping the inner surface of the end wall;
A lower engagement portion is formed at the lower portion of the left flap, the lower engagement portion protruding rightward from the upper portion of the left flap,
An upper engagement portion is formed on the upper portion of the right flap, the upper engagement portion protruding leftward more than the lower portion,
A tray characterized in that the upper engagement portion of the right flap is inserted between a locking portion protruding from an edge of the left side crosspiece and the lower engagement portion of the left flap. 2. The tray of claim 1,
A first partition plate extending in the front-rear direction is provided between the side walls,
A tray characterized in that the left and right leading edge portions of the crosspiece are connected to the upper edge portion of the first partition plate. 3. The tray of claim 2,
A second partition plate extending in the left-right direction is provided between the both side walls,
A tray characterized in that an upper portion of the second partition plate is connected to an upper portion of the first partition plate via a bent portion.

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