Box design for automatic assembly and sealing

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to the design, manufacturing, assembly and filling of a parcel container (i.e., box) cut from a single piece of material (e.g., corrugated cardboard). The parcel container is sealable without the use of tape as a sealing mechanism.

1 . A box assembly manufactured from a single continuous piece of material, the box assembly comprising:
 a central bottom portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first central bottom portion side, a second central bottom portion side, a third central bottom portion side, and a fourth central bottom portion side;   a first side piece extending from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first side piece alternating flap and a second side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the first side piece alternating flap and the second side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the first side piece and do not extend from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first top portion extending therefrom on a side of the first side piece opposing the first central bottom portion side;   a second side piece extending from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having a third side piece alternating flap and a fourth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the third side piece alternating flap and the fourth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the second side piece and do not extend from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having extending therefrom a first pocket and a second pocket each extending from opposing sides of the second side piece and not extending from the second central bottom portion side;   a third side piece extending from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a fifth side piece alternating flap and a sixth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the fifth side piece alternating flap and the sixth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the third side piece and do not extend from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a second top portion extending therefrom on a side of the third side piece opposing the third central bottom portion side; and   a fourth side piece extending from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having a seventh side piece alternating flap and an eighth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the seventh side piece alternating flap and the eighth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and do not extend from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having extending therefrom a third pocket and a fourth pocket each extending from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and not extending from the fourth central bottom portion side.   
     
     
         2 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first top portion and the second top portion comprise a corrugated formed mechanical closure assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are folded and adhered to the second side piece during an assembly process. 
     
     
         4 . The box assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the third pocket and the fourth pocket are folded and adhered to the fourth side piece during an assembly process. 
     
     
         5 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first top portion has extending therefrom a first friction clamp lock tab and a second friction clamp lock tab, the first friction clamp lock tab and the second friction clamp lock tab extending from opposing sides of the first top portion and not extending from a side of the first top portion shared with the first side piece nor from a side extending from an opening mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first top portion has extending therefrom an opening mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first top portion comprises a first slot and a second slot for receiving a first folding tab and a second folding tab, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first folding tab and the second folding tab extend from the second top portion. 
     
     
         9 . The box assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a perforated strip is located between an adhesive location of the first top portion and a location of the first top portion wherefrom the opening mechanism extends. 
     
     
         10 . The box assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second top portion has extending therefrom a third friction clamp lock tab and a fourth friction clamp lock tab, the third friction clamp lock tab and the fourth friction clamp lock tab extending from opposing sides of the second top portion and not extending from a side of the second top portion shared with the third side piece nor from a side extending from an opening mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the material is corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a box assembly from a single continuous piece of material, the method comprising:
 selecting the single continuous piece of material; and   using mechanical means, cutting the box assembly from the single continuous piece of material, where the box assembly comprises:   a central bottom portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first central bottom portion side, a second central bottom portion side, a third central bottom portion side, and a fourth central bottom portion side;   a first side piece extending from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first side piece alternating flap and a second side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the first side piece alternating flap and the second side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the first side piece and do not extend from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first top portion extending therefrom on a side of the first side piece opposing the first central bottom portion side;   a second side piece extending from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having a third side piece alternating flap and a fourth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the third side piece alternating flap and the fourth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the second side piece and do not extend from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having extending therefrom a first pocket and a second pocket each extending from opposing sides of the second side piece and not extending from the second central bottom portion side;   a third side piece extending from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a fifth side piece alternating flap and a sixth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the fifth side piece alternating flap and the sixth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the third side piece and do not extend from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a second top portion extending therefrom on a side of the third side piece opposing the third central bottom portion side; and   a fourth side piece extending from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having a seventh side piece alternating flap and an eighth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the seventh side piece alternating flap and the eighth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and do not extend from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having extending therefrom a third pocket and a fourth pocket each extending from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and not extending from the fourth central bottom portion side.   
     
     
         13 . A method of automatically assembling a box assembly, the box assembly manufactured from a single continuous piece of material, the method comprising:
 applying design creases to a top surface of the box assembly;   applying printing to the bottom surface of the box assembly;   applying adhesive to the top surface of the box assembly at each of a first side piece alternating flap, a second side piece alternating flap, a third side piece alternating flap, a fourth side piece alternating flap, a fifth side piece alternating flap, a sixth side piece alternating flap, a seventh side piece alternating flap, and an eighth side piece alternating flap;   applying adhesive to the top surface of the box assembly at each of a second side piece and a fourth side piece such that a first pocket and a second pocket extending from the second side piece are folded and adhered to the second side piece and such that a third pocket and a fourth pocket extending from the fourth side piece are folded and adhered to the fourth side piece;   folding each of a first side piece, the second side piece, a third side piece, and the fourth side piece upward in towards each other to form an opening of the box assembly;   folding in to adhere two side piece alternating flaps to the first side piece;   folding in to adhere two different side piece alternating flaps to the second side piece;   folding in to adhere two further different side piece alternating flaps to the third side piece;   folding in to adhere the two even further side piece alternating flaps to the fifth side piece;   folding a second top portion in toward the opening of the box assembly and applying adhesive thereupon; and   folding a first top portion in toward the opening of the box assembly and adhering the first top portion to the second top portion.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein friction clamp lock tabs attached to each of the first top portion and the second top portion are folded in toward the opening of the box assembly prior to the first top portion being adhered to the second top portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the friction clamp lock tabs are fed into each of the first pocket, the second pocket, the third pocket, and the fourth pocket. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the box assembly is filled with contents prior to folding a second top portion in toward the opening of the box assembly and applying adhesive thereupon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the box assembly comprises:
 a central bottom portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first central bottom portion side, a second central bottom portion side, a third central bottom portion side, and a fourth central bottom portion side;   a first side piece extending from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first side piece alternating flap and a second side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the first side piece alternating flap and the second side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the first side piece and do not extend from the first central bottom portion side, the first side piece having a first top portion extending therefrom on a side of the first side piece opposing the first central bottom portion side;   a second side piece extending from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having a third side piece alternating flap and a fourth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the third side piece alternating flap and the fourth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the second side piece and do not extend from the second central bottom portion side, the second side piece having extending therefrom a first pocket and a second pocket each extending from opposing sides of the second side piece and not extending from the second central bottom portion side;   a third side piece extending from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a fifth side piece alternating flap and a sixth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the fifth side piece alternating flap and the sixth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the third side piece and do not extend from the third central bottom portion side, the third side piece having a second top portion extending therefrom on a side of the third side piece opposing the third central bottom portion side; and   a fourth side piece extending from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having a seventh side piece alternating flap and an eighth side piece alternating flap extending therefrom, wherein the seventh side piece alternating flap and the eighth side piece alternating flap extend from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and do not extend from the fourth central bottom portion side, the fourth side piece having extending therefrom a third pocket and a fourth pocket each extending from opposing sides of the fourth side piece and not extending from the fourth central bottom portion side.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the material is corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         19 . The box assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first friction clamp lock tab, the second friction clamp lock tab, the third friction clamp lock tab, and the fourth friction clamp lock tab are employed for reuse of the apparatus subsequent an original assembly and use of the apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein assembly equipment employed to automatically assemble the box assembly comprises one or more of a folding apparatus, a creasing apparatus, laser cutting equipment, a laser engraving apparatus, a printing apparatus, and an adhesive application apparatus.