Unlocking means for sidewalls of rigid foldable or collapsible boxes

Abstract

A rigid box of foldable or removable wall type with unlocking means for the sidewalls. The box includes a bottom wall, two head walls, opposing each other, and two main sidewalls, opposing each other and respectively perpendicular to the head wall. The sidewalls are susceptible to staying perpendicular to the bottom wall when the box is assembled. Unlocking means for the sidewalls are located in the upper area of the lateral edges of the sidewalls. The unlocking means can be released by pulling them from outside of the box.

1 . A rigid box ( 1 ) of foldable or removable wall type with unlocking means for sidewalls, that includes a bottom wall ( 2 ), two head walls ( 4 ), opposing each other, and two main sidewalls ( 6 ), opposing each other and respectively perpendicular to head wall; being these sidewalls ( 4 , 6 ) susceptible to stay perpendicular to this bottom wall when the box is assembled; unlocking means of sidewalls located in the upper area of the lateral edges of said sidewalls; consisting said unlocking means of sidewalls in: 
 a) projections of fastener ( 10 ), frontally releasable, being said projections of fastener located in the upper zone of the side edges of the head walls; being the main planes of said projection of fastener parallel to the plane of the head wall; including each projection of fastener: 
 a wedge portion ( 17 ) with one of its main faces oriented in a substantially parallel way to the plane of the head wall; being placed the inclined face of said wedge portion so that its narrower zone is further away of the vertical edge end of said head wall, whereas the wider zone of the said wedege portion is nearer to said vertical edge of said head wall; defining said wider zone of said wedge portion an operating side ( 19 ); being joined said narrowest zone of said wedge portion to said head wall, being said junction an elastic pivotable kind so that the remaining wedge portion is left in cantilever;  
 a projection for finger pull ( 13 ), located in the external main face of said wedge portion, extending said projection for finger pull in an outward direction respect to the main plane of said head wall which, preferably, does not outstand said head wall;  
 portions of end wall ( 25 ) located in the corresponding lateral ends of each head wall; being said portions of end wall oriented perpendicularly to the main plane of said head wall, so that the longitudinal section of the lateral ends of said head wall has an “L” shape; being said portions of end wall in, at least, one area that extends a bit below and up to over the area where said wedge portion is located;  
 protrusions ( 20 ) located in each portion of said end wall, by over and below said wedge portion; being said protrusions projected in an inwards dikrection respect to the main plane of the corresponding main side wall; being said protrusions distanced from the main internal surface of said head wall, so that in the space there formed can be housed an end lip portion ( 14 ) of main sidewall; and  
   b) lock portions ( 12 ), located in the upper zones of the side edges of said main sidewalls, in which the corresponding projections of said fastener actuate; being oriented said lock portions oriented in order to allow the entrance of the corresponding projection of said fastener, according to a relative displacement which is parallel to the plane of corresponding main sidewall; comprising each lock portion two types of elements adjacent to each other according to a substantially parallel direction to the lateral edge of said main sidewall; consisting the first type of element of an end lip portion; and consisting the second type of element of two portions of housing box ( 15 ); where: 
 said portion of end lip is formed as a narrowing of the lateral edge of said lateral main side wall, in the zone that will face said operating side of said wedge portion; and  
 each one of said portions of housing box defines a cavity oriented outwards said main sidewall.  
   
   
   
       2 . The rigid box of foldable or removable wall type, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said head walls and said main sidewalls are independent of said bottom wall; being conformed the edges of said bottom wall and the lower edges of said head walls and the lower edges of said sidewalls with complementary hinge means, to allow a pivotable assembly of the sidewalls ( 4 , 6 ), in relation to said bottom wall.  
   
   
       3 . The rigid box of foldable or removable wall type, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said head walls and said main sidewalls form a one single piece with said bottom wall, on condition that the zone of their lower edges are flexible, defining areas of hinge between the lower edges of said head walls and the corresponding edges of said bottom wall; and defining areas of hinge between the lower edges of main sidewalls and the corresponding edges of said bottom wall.  
   
   
       4 . The rigid box of foldable or removable wall type, as defined in anyone of  claims 1  to  3 , in which said projection for finger pull consists on a curved wall, defining a pocket between it and the external main face of said wedge portion, so that a finger can be introduced to pull said projection of fastener.  
   
   
       5 . The rigid box of foldable or removable wall type, as defined in anyone of  claims 1  to  3 , in which said projection for finger pull consists in a portion of wall, tab or pin, substantially normal to the main plane of said head wall, that allows to grasp it with two fingers to pull it.