Patent Application of

Qun Xia for

PANEL BINDING SNAP FIT ON

CORRUGATED PLASTIC BOXES

Background - Prior Art

The following is tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:

U.S. Patents

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US5, 163,609 B65D5/003 November 17, 1992 Muise, Jr.

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US5,458,283 B65D 5/42 October 17, 1995 Southwell, et al.

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US5,518,171 B6SD 5/499 May 21, 1996 Moss

US5, 577.779 E05C 19/06 Nov. 26, 1996 Dangel

US5, 597,111 B65D 5/42 January 28, 1997 Mackinnon, et al.

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US5,658,644 B32B 3/20 August 19, 1997 Ho, et al.

US6, 102,279 B65D 5/10 August 15, 2000 Dowd

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US6,938,818 B65D 5/10 September 6, 2005 Moorman, et al.

US7082650B2 FI6B 9/00 Aug. 1, 2006 AWakura et al.

US7,264,147 B65D 5/42 September 4, 2007 Benson, et al.

US8, 631,956 B65D 6/28 January 21, 2014 Dowd

US8,668,132 B65D 5/36 March 11, 2014 Lopez Masague

US9,321,550 B65D 21/02 April 26, 2016 Whittles, et al. US9,550,602 B65D 6/16 January 24, 2017 Ryan

USD812,468 B65D 5 / 00 March 13, 2018 Carman

US10,207,848 B65D 71 / 16 February 19, 2019 Alexander, et al.

US10,220,975 B65D 5 / 42 March 5, 2019 Carman

US10,633,140 B65D 5/468 April 28, 2020 Vergara

US 10,744,419 B2 A63H 33/04 Aug. 18 , 2020 Xia

US11,18O,279 B31B 110/35 November 23, 2021 Semmelhack, et al.

US11,319,132 B65D 77/22 May 3, 2022 Balazs

US Patent Application Publications

Publication Nr. Kind Code Publ. Date Applicant

US 20040222542 B29C 47/12 November 11, 2004 Jan, Tzy-Cherng, et al

US 2007/0102956 B60 5/00 May 10, 2007 Bucholtz et al.

US 20080003870 H01R 13/60 January 3, 2008 Wu; Phillip, et al.

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US 20160137333 B65D 5/00 May 19, 2016 Brundage; David Joe

Foreign Patent Documents

Foreign Doc. Nr. Kind Code Pub. Dt App or Patentee

EP1213471A3 F02M 35/024 14.05.2003 Stass, Arden EPl 101661 A3 B60R 21/20 17.09.2003 Frisch, Ralph

W02004/033324 Al B65D 1/42 22.04.2004 Graphic Packaging

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WO2014/158868A3 A61B 17/072 Oct 02, 2014 WEANER

US 17616773 B65D 5/42 Dec 06, 2021 Xia

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to reusable and collapsible corrugated plastic boxes that are able to be assembled to a box from a die-cut corrugated plastic blank, serving purposes of both shipping and storage in the same one box. The one piece folder reusable box blanks are assembled to boxes or tote boxes with assistance of the snap fit mechanism comprising of a T shaped snap fit tab from one panel locking on a slot from another panel or flap. The innovative snap fit tab in the present application are flexible and can be bent narrower by pushing the middle of the tab surface and going through the respective slot and lock on the next panel where the slot is cut from, thus binding the panel where the tab is cut from and the panel where the slot is cut from. After each use, the reusable boxes are able to be dissembled to flat blanks, then further collapsed and folded into approximate rectangle sizes of the box bottom panels and in thin heights to keep for use next time, simply by disengaging the horizontal line of the T shaped snap fit tab cut out of one corrugated plastic panel from the slot cut out of another corrugated plastic panel.

Sustainable packaging is one of the most visible and effective measures in circular economy and fighting climate change. Replacing single-use cardboard boxes produced and used in hundreds of billions annually will significantly reduce carbon footprint and solid waste in landfill, slashing consumption on natural resources of water, petroleum, energy, trees, labor and emitting less pollutions to air, water and soil. The arduous processes in cardboard recycling, baling and transportations to reprocess in pulp and paper mills are also transformed by reusable box’s return, reuse and circulations.

The booming eCommerce boosts the use and production of cardboard boxes to 100 billion in the US along annually, which generates huge negative impact to the environment. The present invention relates to the theme of reusable alternative to cardboard boxes, aiming to meet box reuse needs for consumers and businesses. The present invention provides simple snap fit mechanism for easier manufacturing, assembly and disassembly on reusable boxes.

Reusable and collapsible corrugated plastic boxes are of concern in terms of building with ultrasonic welds, glues, clips, railings, buckles and other types of accessories to assemble, take stack load, hold for strength etc. All the additional parts attached to the corrugated boxes add extra manufacturing processes, adding alien materials that are not friendly for recycling, increasing costs by adding more materials, processes and labor to the boxes. For one example, the commonly used open top tote boxes used by the US postal office was built with railing on the top, plus about thirty ultrasonic welding points completed by hand, significantly increasing the costs and prices on the tote box products. Furthermore, building corrugated plastic boxes need to connect, attach and lock up panels and flaps together to assemble and have strength guarantee. One of the designs needs to hold and bind paralleled panels and flaps together, the snap fit mechanism in the present invention solves the problem with simplicity and the configurations. In addition, the present invention simplified the manufacturing processes, to only one die-cut process after the plastic sheet extrusion on the corrugated plastic sheets, greatly advanced to make mass productions possible by machines on the one piece folder blanks for reusable boxes.

None of the above prior art in the tabulation makes the statement in any embodiment or in claim that corrugated plastic one-piece-folder blank having side panels and flaps folded over and situated next to the side panels erected from bottom panel bound by at least one snap fit tab and corresponding slot. None of the above prior art in the tabulation makes the statement in any embodiment or in claim that the T shaped snap fit tab cut out of the respective panel is pushed on the middle of tab surface sideways to engage in the snap fit slot cut out of the respective panel situated face to face together, that the snap fit tab engage the slot with flexibility and bind together the panels that they are cut out of respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to reusable corrugated plastic boxes. The assembly on the reusable corrugated boxes has the need to hold and bind paralleled panels or flaps together without welds or any accessories that the reusable boxes can still keep in a strong and stable state. After use, the reusable boxes might need to be dissembled to flat blanks or even further collapse folded to smaller compact sizes. Without any additional manufacturing procedures or accessories, the present invention presents a snap fit mechanism that directly facilitating one process of die-cut on the corrugated plastic sheets during manufacturing. More specifically, the snap fit on the corrugated plastic box comprises of at least one T shaped configuration tab die-cut out of one panel of the one piece folder blank, and at least one slot die-cut out of another panel of the same blank. The T shaped snap fit cut out of the panel is connected the respective panel on the bottom of the vertical line. Both the horizontal and vertical lines of the T shaped snap fit tab at in the same thickness of the panel from which it is cut, while the horizontal line of the T shaped snap fit tab is aligned with the extruded longitudinal flutes of corrugated plastic blank, or within 45 degree of the angle distance from the extruded longitudinal flutes. The horizontal lines of the T shaped snap fit tabs aligned with the corrugated plastic sheet extruded longitudinal flutes reduce the elastic deformation and the snap fit engagement thereby preventing the accidental disengagement of the locked T shaped snap fit tab from the slot. The vertical line of the T snap fit tab is in the same thickness of the panel from which it’s cut, and in width equal to the width of the corresponding slot cut out of the other panel for binding. When two panels are placed or folded paralleled together, the T shaped snap fit tab and the slot are placed matching ready for engagement. Pushing the middle of the T snap fit tab surface sideways towards the slot on the other panel, further pushing until it bends that the horizontal line of the T is narrower than the slot cutout engaging edges, and passing through the slot. Once it passes, the both ends of the T horizontal line are set against the both sides of slot on the other panel outer surface. Due to the flexibility on the corrugated plastic panel and the configuration from which the T is cut, the lock engagement is secured, thus the two panels are bound together to serve the purpose of building the entire reusable box. In the case of sandwiching additional panels or flaps between the each of the T and the slot panels, the sandwiched panels or flaps reserve space for the T shaped snap fit tab to insert through, and engage the corresponding slot.

When the disengagement is needed for box disassembly, push the middle of the T snap fit tab sideways backward, until it bends and pass through the slot to separate the T from the slot. Thus each of the panels are released from the binding to each other.

The result of the snap fit mechanism in the present invention presents unprecedented panel binding effects in building boxes, with no ultrasonic welds, glues, clips, buckles, or any accessories. Particularly when the snap fit designs are used on the erected either interlocked or unlocked side flaps attached to each side of each side panels attached to each of the opposite edges on the bottom panel, it generates never before seen structural strength and simple assembly on the reusable boxes.

The snap fit mechanism incorporated with the one-piece-folder corrugated plastic blank in the present invention for building the reusable boxes simplified the processes of manufacturing to single die-cut after the corrugated plastic sheet extrusion, and building boxes to almost all the popular or normally used dimensions, unlike some corrugated plastic box designs only made for low height boxes. It saves procedures, labor and costs, help facilitating and promoting the broad applications of the reusable boxes and sustainable packaging having the innovative mechanism in more various designs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS - FIGURES

Fig.l is an elevated view of an interlocked flap reusable box with a folded up rest side panel having a T shaped snap fit tab standing by a pair of interlocked flaps with an open top slot cut out of one flap. Another rest side panel stays flat.

Fig.2 is an elevated view of an interlocked flap reusable box with a rest side panel having a T shaped snap fit tab pushed sideways and engaged with an open top slot cut out of one of interlocked flaps. The rest side panel is bound to interlocked flaps.

Fig.3 is an elevated view of an uncompleted reusable tote that one side of the snap fit tabs are pushed sideways through one of the sandwiched flaps and the snap fit slot on the fold over panel extended from the respective rest side panel. While the opposite side snap fit tabs are pushed for engagement.

Fig.4 is an elevated view of an assembled mail tote, that top perimeter edges are longer than corresponding bottom perimeter edges on the same panel. The flaps are sandwiched between folded over panels extended from respective rest side panels with the help of snap fits.

Fig 5. is an top down view of an one-piece-folder blank for an open top tote. Each of the T shaped snap fit tabs and slots is specifically situated and oriented and cut out of each of panels and flaps to be erected, engaged and assembled into a reusable box.

Drawing - Reference Numerals

2 T shaped snap fit tab 4 snap fit slot

6 slot on sandwiched flap 8 sandwiched flap

10 bottom panel 12 fold over panel with slots

14 flap with or without slots 16 rest side panel with T shaped tab

20 side panel 22 fold line

30 corrugated longitudinal flute 32 pushing force DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of my panel binding snap fit on corrugated plastic boxes is illustrated in Fig.1. Side panels 20 are folded upright over opposite edges of bottom panel 10, each of the side panel 20 has one flap 14 attached on each of the side edges, folded towards and interlocked with the opposite flap 14. Interlocked flaps 14 are situated and standing next to each of the rest bottom panel edges. One rest side panel 16 is folded up over one rest bottom panel edge having one cut out snap fit tab 2 ready to insert sideways to the cutout slot 4 on one flap 14. Another rest side panel 16 with a snap fit tab cut out remains flat. Each of panels 12 extended from each of side panels 20 folds over to and binds to each of side panels 20 by locking each of snap fit tabs 2 to each of corresponding slots 4.

Fig.2 illustrates that the box assembly in progress stemmed from what’s illustrated in Fig.l, specifically the rest side panel 16 folded up over one rest bottom panel edge having one cut out T shaped snap fit tab 2 inserted sideways into the cutout rectangle open top slot 4 on one flap 14. The engagement between the snap fit tab 2 and slot 4 help bind the rest side panel 16 and the flap 14 which the T shaped snap fit tab 2 and slot 4 are cut out of respectively. The engaged snap fit tab 2 and slot 4 significantly strengthen the interlocked flaps 14 and the entire enclosure structure after assembly completed, further strengthening the assembled box.

Fig.3 illustrates near completion of assembly on a corrugated plastic tote, that both side panels 20 are upright having attached flaps 14 aligned to each other on the rest sides of the tote. The flaps 14 are sandwiched 8 on the top sections between the rest side panel 16 and the extended and folded over panel 12, fastened by engaged each of snap fit tabs 2 and slots 4. On the opposite side of the tote, the extended panel 12 is folded down to sandwich invisible flaps 8 with the side panel 16. At the meanwhile a pushing force 32 begins applied to the middle of the surface of snap fit tab 2. Once the engagement of the snap fits is completed, the corrugated plastic tote is completed for assembly. Fig.3 also illustrates the horizontal lines of the T shaped snap fit tabs 2 are aligned with the corrugated plastic extruded longitudinal flutes 30, while the bottom edge of the vertical lines of the snap fit tab 2 are uncut connected with the rest side panels 16 from which they are cut out.

Fig.4 illustrates completed assembly on a reusable corrugated mail tote which has longer perimeter edges on the top than all the perimeter edges on the bottom panel of each tote side respectively. Four snap fit tabs 2 cut out of rest side panels 16 are all inserted and locked into snap fit slots 4 cut out of fold down panels 12 that binding the extended and folded down panels 12 to each of the respective rest side panels 16, while sandwiching each of flaps 8 & 14 attached to each of the side edges of each side panel 20.

Fig.5 illustrates a corrugated plastic die cut blank before any assembly processes for a reusable tote. The rectangle bottom panel 10 is located at the center of the entire blank, with side panels 20 attached to the opposite edges of the bottom panel 10 over fold lines 22, and rest side panels attached to the rest opposite edges of the bottom panel 10 over fold lines 22. Each side edge of the side panels 20 attached with a side flap 14 over a fold line 22. Each extended panel 12 is attached to each end of rest side panels 16 over a fold line 22. Each narrow panel is attached to each end of side panels 20 over a fold line 22. All horizontal lines of all the specifically located and die cut snap fit tabs 2 out of side panels 20 and rest side panels 16 are aligned with the extruded longitudinal flutes 30 on the blank. Each of the snap fit tabs 2 is uncut connected with each of the side panels 20 and rest side panels 16 at the bottom edge of the vertical line of the T respectively. Each of the snap fit tab 2 and slot 4 &6 configurations is within the perimeter edges of the panels and flaps of which they are cut out respectively. Each of the snap fit slots 4 die cut out of each of the extend panels 12 and the snap fit slots 6 die cut out of each of the sandwiched flaps 8is specifically located on the blank to match each of the respective snap fit tab locations for engagement when each of the respective panels and flaps binding to each other, that the tote is erected and assembled. ADVANTAGES

1) The T shaped snap fit tab and slot snap fit mechanism in the present invention bind and attach paralleled corrugated plastic panels together in reusable boxes that are simply assembled from one-piece-folder blanks.

2) With the assistance of the engagement between the T shaped snap fit tab and slot in the snap fit mechanism, the strong reusable boxes are built with no any additional accessories such as buckles, clips, railing, Velcro, welds, or glues.

3) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates the manufacturing processes of corrugate plastic reusable boxes with the simplest one die-cut procedure that minimizes time, material usage, labor and costs, allowing corrugated plastic reusable boxes to be produced either on manually operated die cut machines or advanced high speed automated die cut machines for mass production.

4) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates more and more designs and applications of one-piece-folder reusable boxes, which are the most popular and convenient types of reusable boxes for businesses, eCommerce and consumers.

5) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates the broad applications of reusable box in replacement of cardboard boxes, reducing carbon emission, consumption on natural resources, and pollutions to sir, water and soil, help fighting climate change.

6) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates collapse folding the one-piece- folder reusable boxes into compact size packs, easier to carry around, mail, saving space for shipping and transportation, and saving space to array and display on shelves in retail stores.

7) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention directly leads to cost savings for businesses and consumers.

8) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention is not only simple to build reusable boxes, but also strongly structured to bind and attach paralleled panels together in the corrugated plastic boxes. 9) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention can help easily disengage and separate each of the bound panels for box disassembly.

10) The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates easy wash, dry and cleaning on corrugated and fluted plastic reusable boxes with unblocked channels inside the extruded longitude of the corrugated or fluted plastic one-piece-folder sheet.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the snap fit mechanism in the present invention for building reusable box are simple, convenient, strong and practical. Substituting cardboard boxes with the reusable boxes can cut down pollutions and preserve enormous amount of natural resources of all kinds. It’s economical for consumers, businesses, supply chains, eCommerce to reuse boxes in extensive ways.

Although the descriptions above contain much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of several embodiments. For instance, the box materials can extend to categories of cardboard, polymer, composite, or even more rigid materials while the blanks can be made in single layer sheets instead of corrugated or fluted sheets.

The snap fit mechanism in the present invention facilitates broadening the scope of innovative designs on various types of boxes and packaging, which are the results of the T shaped snap fit tab and slot configuration of the snap fit mechanism.

Even though embodiments in the present invention describe reusable corrugated plastic boxes as designed, it does not limit to boxes in the exact designs, structures and dimensions.