WO2009013487A2

WO2009013487A2 - Apparatus for making boxes

Info

Publication number: WO2009013487A2
Application number: PCT/GB2008/002511
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barbara Ann Scarlett; Kathleen Mills
Original assignee: Keepsake Card Craft (2004) Limited
Priority date: 2007-07-24
Filing date: 2008-07-24
Publication date: 2009-01-29
Also published as: WO2009013487A8; GB0714395D0; WO2009013487A3; GB2464249A; GB201002489D0; GB2464249B

Abstract

A board (10) is for use as an aid in forming trays for use as a box base or box lid. The working surface (12) supports a sheet of material, such as paper, having an outline (14). Grooves (16) in the board (10) define lines for scoring the sheet (14) to form fold lines. In one example, grooves are provided for forming trays of slightly different sizes, to act as a base and a lid for a box.

Description

The present invention relates to boxes and box making, particularly, but not exclusively for craft purposes.

The present invention provides apparatus having:

a working surface for supporting a workpiece of sheet material;

formations associated with the working surface to define a plurality of lines for scoring the workpiece to form respective fold lines in the workpiece;

the formations being so located that, when a workpiece of predetermined size is laid on the working surface, the formations simultaneously define fold lines to demarcate a base region and surrounding wall regions in the workpiece, the regions forming a tray when the wall regions are folded out of the plane of the base region at the corresponding fold line.

The apparatus may be a board.

The formations may define first scoring lines which are mutually parallel, and second scoring lines which are mutually parallel. The first scoring lines may be perpendicular to the second scoring lines to define a rectilinear base region. The formations may define at least one set of scoring lines which include a common line and, across the base region from the common line, a base line and a lid line for forming a tray for use, respectively, as a base and an inter-fitting lid. The first scoring lines and the second scoring lines may each comprise a common line, a base line and a lid line, as aforesaid.

The working surface may further comprise at least one formation defining a trimming line for trimming a workpiece to a predetermined size. The aid may be provided with locator formations to locate a workpiece at a predetermined position on the working surface. The locator formations may define a border region which remains exposed when a workpiece is located at the predetermined position, and wherein at least some of the formations are located in, or extend into the border region, to be visible when the workpiece is so located.

A plurality of sets of formations may be provided, for forming trays of different sizes, from respective sizes of workpieces.

The, or at least one of the formations may include a groove or channel in the working surface.

In another aspect, the invention provides apparatus having:

a working surface for supporting a workpiece of sheet material;

motif formations associated with the working surface to define one or more lines for scoring the workpiece to form respective motifs; and

a guide formation associated with the working surface to define a guide path between the motif formations.

The, or at least some of the motifs may be letters or numbers. The guide path may extend to all of the motif formations. The guide path may extend to a position beyond a workpiece supported on the working surface.

The path may be in the form of a grid, such as a square grid. Each motif may be located within a grid square. Each motif may incorporate a border, such as a square border. Examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one example of apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is partial and enlarged section of the apparatus of Fig. 1 , during use;

Fig. 3 is a section through a workpiece worked by the apparatus of Fig.

1 ;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a workpiece worked by the apparatus of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 illustrates a tray formed from a workpiece of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 correspond with Fig. 1 , showing respective alternative examples of apparatus according to the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of part of a board.

Fig. 1 shows apparatus 10 in the form of a board. The board 10 is intended as an aid for use in forming trays for use as a box base or box lid, as will be described. These may be formed from sheet material, such as paper or card.

The board 10 has a working surface 12 for supporting a workpiece cf sheet material, the outline of which is indicated at 14.

Formations 16 are associated with the working surface 12. The formations 16 are in the form of grooves in the surface 12. The grooves 16 are straight, to define a plurality of lines for scoring the workpiece 14 to form respective fold lines in the workpiece 14. Two sides of the surface 12 are provided with lines of locator formations 18 against which the workpiece 14 can abut. This locates the workpiece 14 at a predetermined position relative to the board 10. The result is indicated in Fig. 2 in which a workpiece 14 is laid on the surface 12 of the board 10, abutting a locator 18 and covering a groove 16. In this position, a blunt stylus 20 can be pressed down on the workpiece 14, into the groove 16, and then run along the line of the groove 16, to score the workpiece 14. The resulting scored workpiece 14 is illustrated in Fig. 3. The line of the score 22 forms a fold line along which the workpiece 14 can be folded. Thus, the score 22 forms a demarcation between the material of the workpiece 14 to either side of the score 22, and which is folded out of the common plane when the workpiece 14 is folded at the line of the score 22.

Returning to Fig. 1 , it can be seen that the board 10 has four grooves

16. Two grooves 16A are mutually parallel and here calied the first scoring lines. Two other grooves 16B are mutually parallel and here called the second scoring lines. The mutually parallel first scoring lines 16A are perpendicular to the mutually parallel second scoring lines 16B. The grooves 16A, 16B extend sufficiently to cross each other at four corners of a rectilinear central region 24 on the surface 12. Beyond the central region 24, the ends of the grooves 16A, 16B extend out toward the edges of the board 16. In particular, they extend beyond the outline 14, into a border region 26 beyond the workpiece 14. On the corresponding sides of the board 10, the grooves 16A, 16B extend beyond the locators 18. Consequently, the ends of the grooves 16A, 16B remain visible to the user when a workpiece 14 is placed on the working surface 12 at the position 14. This allows the grooves 16A, 16B to be readily located with the stylus 20, in the border 26. The stylus 20 is then run along the groove 16A, 16B toward the central region 24 until encountering the workpiece 14. Thereafter, the stylus 20 runs on top of the workpiece 14, still guided by the groove. This creates a score, as described above. Fig. 4 illustrates a workpiece 14 which has been scored on the board 10. Four scores 28A, 28B have been formed. The scores 28A have been formed by means of the grooves 16A. The scores 28B have been formed by means of the grooves 16B. The scores 28A, 28B create demarcation between a base region 30 and surrounding regions 32, here called wall regions, for reasons which will become apparent.

The scores 28A, 28B can be used to fold the wall regions 32 out of the plane of the base region 30. Before doing so, small triangles 34 of material are cut away from the wall regions 32. The wall regions 32 can then be folded at the score lines 28A, 28B to form the walls of a tray 36 (Fig. 5) around the base region 30. Corner portions 38 of the wall region 32, lying outside two score lines 28A, 28B, can then be used as securing tabs to secure the walls 32 in the erect condition shown in Fig. 5. The result is a rectilinear tray, illustrated in Fig. 5. Returning to Fig. 1 , it can be seen that as soon as the workpiece 14 is laid on the surface 12 at the predetermined position, the grooves 16A, 16B simultaneously define all four fold lines to demarcate the base region 30 and wall regions 32 of the workpiece 14. All four fold lines can therefore be scored without repositioning the workpiece on the board 10.

The tray 36 of Fig. 5 may be used alone. However, it is particularly envisaged that two trays formed in the same manner will be used together as the lid and base of a box. In order to fit in this manner, 'the two trays should have base regions of slightly different size. This can readily be achieved by means of the board 10A of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified board 10A. Many features of the board 10A correspond with those of the board of Fig. 1 and in these cases, the same reference numerals are used again, without further description.

The principal difference between the board 10 of Fig. 1 and the board 10A of Fig. 6 relates to the provision of grooves in the working surface of the board. In the board 10, as has been noted, there is a pair of first grooves 16A and pair of second grooves 16B. In the board 1OA, the grooves 16A are supplemented by a third, outer groove 4OA parallel with the grooves 16A. Similarly, the grooves 16B are supplemented by a third, outer groove 4OB, parallel with the grooves 16B. Each of the grooves 16A, 4OA is perpendicular which each of the grooves 16B, 4OB.

The board 10A can be used in the manner described above in relation to Fig.1 to form a tray. A first tray is formed using only the grooves 16A, 16B. The outer grooves 4OA, 4OB are not used. A second tray is then formed by using one of the pair of grooves 16A and one of the pair of grooves 16B. The selected grooves 16A, 16B are those which run alongside the locators 18. The other two grooves 16A, 16B are not used. Instead, the outer grooves 40A, 4OB are used. This results in the second tray having a base region 30 which is slightly larger than for the first tray, by virtue of the outer grooves 4OA, 4OB being slightly further from the locator formations 18 than the adjacent grooves 16A, 16B. Accordingly, the slightly different size of the two trays allows the second tray to be used as a lid for the first, which is used as a base. The walls of the lid tray fit around the walls of the base tray.

It can thus be seen that in the board 10A of Fig. 6, the grooves 16A, 4OA form a set of grooves which include a common groove used for the base tray and for the lid tray. Across the base region 30, there is another groove 16A used to define a scoring line for the base, and a groove 40A, 4OB used to define a scoring line for the lid, so that these three grooves allow a base or inter-fitting lid to be formed as described above. The grooves 16B, 4OB form a second set of grooves which include a common groove, a groove defining a scoring line for the base, and a groove defining a scoring line for the lid.

It is desirable for the workpiece used to form the base tray to be slightly smaller than the workpiece used to form the lid tray. Fig. 7 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of a board 10B, which assists in this aspect of box creation. In the example of Fig. 7, the board 10 has many of the features of Figs. 1 and 6, and the corresponding numerals are used again, without further description.

The board 10B has grooves 16A, 16B and outer grooves 40A, 40B, as described above. In addition, two, parallel trimming grooves 44A are provided, parallel with the grooves 16A, 4OA and beyond the outer grooves 4OA (as seen from the locators 18). Similarly, a pair of outer trimming grooves 44B is provided, parallel to each other and to the grooves 16B, 4OB. The grooves 44B are beyond the outer grooves 40A (as viewed from the locators 18). The trimming grooves 44 are used to define the size of the workpiece required to make a lid tray or base tray. As a preliminary step, a workpiece is placed onto the surface 12, in the manner described, butted against the locators 18. The stylus 20 is then used in conjunction with the trimming grooves 44A or 44B to score the workpiece 14. If the workpiece is to be used for a base tray, the inner trimming grooves 44A, 44B are used. If the workpiece is to be used to form a lid tray, the outer trimming grooves 44A, 44B are used. The resulting score lines indicate to the user the required line of the edge of the workpiece, allowing the workpiece to be trimmed to that line by scissors, craft knife or the like. Once the workpiece has been trimmed to size, the workpiece is once again placed again placed upon the working surface 12 to allow wall regions 32 and a base region 30 to be demarcated by scoring, and then for the base tray or lid tray to be formed in the manner described above.

In the techniques described above, it will be noted that the workpiece is always butted against the locators 18, whether it is being trimmed or being scored for use as a lid or as a base tray. This simplifies the construction and use of the board, because the required separation of the locators 18 and the nearest grooves 16A, 16B remains constant. It is also apparent that all four score lines are simultaneously defined when the workpiece is placed on to the working surface 12, so that the user can score all four lines without moving the workpiece. This avoids confusion and possible misalignment of some of the score lines, which might arise if the workpiece is repositioned between scoring operations, and may also result in the operation being achieved more quickly and conveniently.

Fig. 8 shows a small region of the surface of the board 1OC, which may be part of the surface illustrated in Figs. 1 , 6 or 7, or formed on the reverse face of one of those boards.

The working surface 12A of Fig. 8 is for supporting sheet material, generally in the manner described above. In particular, the sheet material can be located against locator formations 50. The surface 12A is formed with grooves or other formations for guiding a stylus for scoring the workpiece, in the manner described above. In this example, there are motif formations 52 associated with the working surface 12A. Two motif formations 52 are illustrated, representing the numerals 7 and 8 (shown in reverse). Each of the motif formations 52 is connected at 54 with a guide formation 56 in the form of a groove which defines a path between the various motif formations 52.

In this example, at least some of the motifs are letters or numbers.

The guide formation 56 defines a path which extends between all of the motif formations and which also extends at 58 beyond the workpiece supported on the working surface 12A (abutting the locators 50). The guide formation 56 may be in the form of a grid, shown as a square grid, with each motif being located in a square of the grid. In this example, one of the motifs (for the numeral 8) is connected at 54 to the guide path 56 and otherwise unadorned. By contrast, the motif for the numeral 7 has an associated border 60, again in the form of a groove in the surface 12A. This allows a square border to be scored around the numeral 7. Either motif may have a border, or the borders may be omitted. A board having the features illustrated in Fig. 8 can be used in many different ways, for creating decorative effects. A workpiece laid on the surface 12A can be scored to represent one or more of the motifs, by laying the workpiece face down on the surface 12A, finding the motif 52 by feeling along the guide path 56 by means of a stylus and then scoring around the motif 52. guided by the motif groove. A square border can also be scored using the border 60, if provided. Any of the motifs can readily be located, by virtue of guide groove 56 interconnecting all of them. This score formed by the border 60 can be used as a guide for cutting out the motif or alternatively, a score can be formed by the guide groove 56 and used for cutting out, leaving a motif with a scored border around it, for different decorative effect. The motifs can be further decorated after being formed in the manner described.

Many modifications and variations can be made to the apparatus described without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, many different designs, shapes, sizes and relative sizes can be used, according to the decorative effects required.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. Apparatus having:

a working surface for supporting a workpiece of sheet material;

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a board.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the formations define first scoring lines which are mutually parallel, and second scoring lines which are mutually parallel.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first scoring lines are perpendicular to the second scoring lines to define a rectilinear base region.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the formations define at least one set of scoring lines which include a common line and, across the base region from the common line, a base line and a lid line for forming a tray for use, respectively, as a base and an inter-fitting lid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 insofar as it is dependent on claim 3_; wherein the first scoring lines and the second scoring lines each comprise a common line, a base line and a lid line, as aforesaid.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working surface further comprises at least one formation defining a trimming line for trimming a workpiece to a predetermined size.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the aid is provided with locator formations to locate a workpiece at a predetermined position on the working surface.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the locator formations define a border region which remains exposed when a workpiece is located at the predetermined position, and wherein at least some of the formations are located in, or extend into the border region, to be visible when the workpiece is so located.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of sets of formations are provided, for forming trays of different sizes, from respective sizes of workpieces.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the, or at least one of the formations includes a groove or channel in the working surface.

12. Apparatus having:

a working surface for supporting a workpiece of sheet material;

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the, or at least some of the motifs are letters or numbers.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the guide path extends to all of the motif formations.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the guide path extends to a position beyond a workpiece supported on the working surface.

16. Apparatus according to any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the path is in the form of a grid.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the grid is a square grid.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each motif is located within a grid square.

19. Apparatus according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein each motif incorporates a border.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the or each border is square.

21. Apparatus for forming a tray, substantially as described above, with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

22. Apparatus for use in providing motifs, substantially as described above, with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.