Corrugated box assembly with combination self-locking lid and tab-style fold over tab and method of construction

Abstract

A Corrugated Box Assembly with Combination Self-Locking Lid and Tab-Style Fold Over Tab includes a box assembly that lies flat as a box blank having two rectangular sidewalls, two square sidewalls, rectangular flaps, and square flaps. The box blank assembles into a rectangular box having six faces and twelve edges. A fold over tab extends along the lateral edge of rectangular sidewall. The fold over tab has an adhesive, so that when folded over the joint between the square sidewall and the rectangular sidewall, the sidewalls of box are fastened together. Also, fold over tab creates a bulge on outer surface of box to help loose boxes stacked into each other. Multiple tongues and slots interlock in an intimate relationship to form constructed box. Multiple stacking tabs extend from top flaps to mate with corresponding stacking holes in an adjacent box assembly to stabilize multiple stacked boxes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A corrugated box assembly with combination self-locking lid and tab-style fold over tab, the assembly comprising:
 a box blank having:
 two rectangular sidewalls defined by a pair of rectangular lateral edges, a rectangular top edge, and a rectangular bottom edge; 
 two square sidewalls defined by a pair of square lateral edges, a square top edge, a square bottom edge, the rectangular and square sidewalls joining at the lateral edges in an alternating arrangement to form an enclosed region defined by a rectangular cross section and four parallel outer edges; 
 at least one fold over tab longitudinally attached along the rectangular lateral edges of at least one of the rectangular sidewalls, fold over tab comprising an adhesive, whereby fold over tab folds along the parallel outer edges of constructed box assembly; 
 two top rectangular flaps hingedly connected by a top score line along the top edge of the rectangular sidewalls, the top rectangular flaps forming a pair of top locking slots, each top rectangular flap comprising two top stacking tabs, the top stacking tabs extendable from the top rectangular flaps; 
 two bottom rectangular flaps hingedly connected by bottom score lines along the bottom edge of the rectangular sidewalls, each bottom rectangular flap forming two bottom locking slots, each bottom rectangular flap forming two bottom stacking holes, the bottom stacking holes adapted to intimately receive the top stacking tabs of the top rectangular flaps, whereby the top stacking tabs engage the bottom stacking holes to help stabilize stacking multiple box assemblies; 
 two top square flaps hingedly connected by the top score line along the top edge of the square sidewalls, the top square flaps forming a pair of top locking tongues defined by a heel portion, the top locking tongues adapted to lock under the corresponding and adjacent top locking slots that form in the top rectangular flaps; and 
 two bottom square flaps hingedly connected by the bottom score line along the bottom edge of the square sidewalls, each bottom square flap comprising two bottom locking tongues, the bottom locking tongues adapted to lock under the corresponding and adjacent bottom locking slots that form in the bottom rectangular flaps, each bottom square flap forming two end stacking holes adapted to receive the top locking tongues. 
   
     
     
         2 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the square sidewalls are defined by at least one grab hole. 
     
     
         3 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top rectangular flaps are die-cut. 
     
     
         4 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom rectangular flaps are die-cut. 
     
     
         5 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the two top square flaps are die-cut. 
     
     
         6 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the two bottom square flaps are die-cut. 
     
     
         7 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the two bottom rectangular flaps and the two bottom square flaps form at least one air hole. 
     
     
         8 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom square flaps form a bottom score line. 
     
     
         9 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the box blank is defined by a cardboard or a plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rectangular lateral edges are narrow and elongated. 
     
     
         11 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fold over tab is elongated and L-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top locking tongues are indented in the top rectangular flaps. 
     
     
         13 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rectangular flaps laterally extend out past the width of the rectangular sidewalls to create a width difference. 
     
     
         14 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a constructed configuration of the box blank is rectangular shape or a square shape. 
     
     
         15 . The box assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the constructed configuration is defined by 6 faces and 12 edges. 
     
     
         16 . A corrugated box assembly with combination self-locking lid and tab-style fold over tab, the assembly comprising:
 a box blank having:
 two rectangular sidewalls defined by a pair of rectangular lateral edges, a rectangular top edge, and a rectangular bottom edge; 
 two square sidewalls defined by a pair of square lateral edges, a square top edge, a square bottom edge, the rectangular and square sidewalls joining at the lateral edges in an alternating arrangement to form an enclosed region defined by a rectangular cross section and four parallel outer edges, the square sidewalls further being defined by at least one grab hole; 
 at least one elongated, L-shaped fold over tab, the fold over tab being longitudinally attached along the parallel outer edges, one side of the fold over tab comprising an adhesive; 
 at least one elongated, L-shaped fold over tab longitudinally attached along the rectangular lateral edges of at least one of the rectangular sidewalls, fold over tab comprising an adhesive, whereby fold over tab folds along the parallel outer edges of constructed box assembly; 
 two die-cut top rectangular flaps hingedly connected by a top score line along the top edge of the rectangular sidewalls, the top rectangular flaps forming a pair of top locking slots, each top rectangular flap comprising two top stacking tabs, the top stacking tabs extendable from the top rectangular flaps; 
 two die-cut bottom rectangular flaps hingedly connected by bottom score lines along the bottom edge of the rectangular sidewalls, each bottom rectangular flap forming two bottom locking slots, each bottom rectangular flap forming two bottom stacking holes, the bottom stacking holes adapted to intimately receive the top stacking tabs of the top rectangular flaps, whereby the top stacking tabs engage the bottom stacking holes to help stabilize stacking multiple box assemblies, the two bottom rectangular flaps forming at least one air hole; 
 two die-cut top square flaps hingedly connected by the top score line along the top edge of the square sidewalls, the top square flaps forming a pair of top locking tongues defined by a heel portion, the top locking tongues adapted to lock under the corresponding and adjacent top locking slots that form in the top rectangular flaps, the two bottom square flaps forming the at least one air hole; and 
 two die-cut bottom square flaps hingedly connected by the bottom score line along the bottom edge of the square sidewalls, each bottom square flap comprising two bottom locking tongues, the bottom locking tongues adapted to lock under the corresponding and adjacent bottom locking slots that form in the bottom rectangular flaps, each bottom square flap forming two end stacking holes adapted to receive the top locking tongues, the bottom square flaps forming a bottom score line. 
   
     
     
         17 . The box assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the box blank is defined by a cardboard or a plastic material. 
     
     
         18 . The box assembly of  claim 16 , wherein a constructed configuration of the box blank is rectangular shape or a square shape. 
     
     
         19 . The box assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the rectangular lateral edges are narrow and elongated. 
     
     
         20 . A method for constructing a corrugated box assembly with combination self-locking lid and tab-style fold over tab, the method comprising:
 providing a generally flat box blank, the box blank having:
 two rectangular sidewalls; 
 two square sidewalls; 
 four corner sidewalls, whereby the rectangular and square sidewalls joining at the lateral edges in an alternating arrangement to form an enclosed region defined by a rectangular cross section and four parallel outer edges; 
 at least one elongated, L-shaped fold over tab, one side of the fold over tab comprising an adhesive; 
 two die-cut top rectangular flaps hingedly connected by a top score line along the top edge of the rectangular sidewalls; 
 two die-cut top square flaps hingedly connected by the top score line along the top edge of the square sidewalls; 
 two die-cut bottom square flaps hingedly connected by the bottom score line along the bottom edge of the square sidewalls; 
   folding the rectangular sidewalls towards each other, whereby the box assembly is partially formed;   folding the square sidewalls towards each other, whereby the lateral edges of the rectangular and square sidewalls engage;   folding the fold over tab along the parallel lateral edges of the partially formed box assembly, whereby the adhesive helping to fasten the sidewalls together;   folding the bottom rectangular flaps and the bottom square flaps inwardly;   interlocking a bottom locking tongue from the bottom square flap with a corresponding and adjacent bottom locking slots from the bottom rectangular flap;   filling an enclosed region of the box assembly with an object;   folding the top rectangular flaps and the top square flaps inwardly;   interlocking a top locking tongue from the top square flap with a corresponding and adjacent top locking slots from the top rectangular flap, whereby the box assembly is fully constructed and defined by six faces and twelve edges; and   stacking multiple box assemblies, whereby a top stacking tabs intimately engage a bottom stacking hole in the sidewalls and flaps.