Corrugated Cardboard Packaging Crate, and Method and Apparatus for Making Such Crate

Abstract

The invention relates to a corrugated cardboard packaging crate ( 12 ) for transporting a load ( 13 ), and to a method and to a device for making such a crate. The crate comprises an open box, a lid 20, and a cardboard wedging plate ( 1, 10 ) for maintaining the load into place. The wedging plate comprises a central panel ( 2 ), two opposite first flaps ( 3, 4 ) respectively connected to two corresponding peripheral edges ( 6 ) by marking flutes having a height larger than that of the box and at least two opposite tab-forming second flaps ( 9, 11 ) respectively connected to the two other peripheral edges of said panel by marking flutes. The wedging plate is force-inserted into the box, and the first and second flaps interact by friction with the inner walls of the box, the free end edges of the first flaps being horizontally force-folded and blocked by the inner surface of the lid so that the load is blocked by compression between the plate and the bottom.

1 . A method for making a crate comprising an open box comprising:
 four vertical walls;   a horizontal bottom;   a lid comprising flaps laid out to be glued to the upper periphery of the box, and   a wedging plate made of cardboard designed to hold said load in position, and   comprising a central panel of a size slightly smaller than that of the horizontal section of the box,   said central panel comprising two first opposite flaps, respectively connected to two corresponding peripheral edges by marking grooves, and at least two second flaps respectively connected to two other peripheral edges of said panel by marking grooves,   wherein said method comprises the following steps:
 the wedging plate is conveyed to the pre-formed and pre-loaded box, 
 the plate is force-inserted into the box in contact with the load, 
 the first flaps are pressed against the internal face of the wall of the box at the upper periphery of the box, 
 the ends of the first flaps are force-folded inwards into the crate horizontally at the level of said upper periphery, 
 the edges of the lid are glued, and 
 this lid is pressed against the upper edges of the box in crushing the end of the flaps, thus causing the load to be blocked by compression between the plate and the bottom of the crate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each first flap is constituted by a rectangular piece with a height greater than ⅔ of the height of the box. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each first flap has a width greater than or equal to ⅓ of the width of the box. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the central panel has two second tab-formed flaps per side. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the marking grooves are only fold-initiating lines, preserving great elastic resistance. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the corrugated cardboard is of the order of 3 mm. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled)