Packaging with interlocking ripcord mechanical lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999544-B2
Application number	US-202217849108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2022
Priority date	Jun 24, 2022
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

Packaging with a locking mechanism is provided, such as for finished goods packaging, such that a lid and base box may be secured together in a closed configuration. An interlocking ripcord mechanical lock may include a slot and tab style ripcord that is integrated into the packaging. As an example, packaging using corrugated material may utilize the corrugated material thickness to lock the tab record inside an opening such as a slot, such that the base box is retained and coupled to the lid, thereby preventing the base box from sliding out from the lid if a user except packaging by the lid. Once the ripcord is removed, is removed, the mechanical lock is thereby released from the base and lid, allowing the customer to open the packaging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Packaging, comprising:
a base box;
a lid; and
a ripcord configured to mechanically lock the base box and the lid such that the base box and the lid are secured together in a closed configuration, wherein the ripcord is not fixed to the lid, and
wherein when the ripcord is pulled with sufficient force, it is removable such that the mechanical lock is released so that the packaging may be opened.

2. The packaging of claim 1 , wherein the base box comprises a substrate that the ripcord is fixed to, such that the substrate tears when the ripcord is pulled with sufficient force, thereby releasing the mechanical lock.

3. The packaging of claim 2 , wherein the substrate comprises a wrap panel that covers a cardboard corrugate panel of the base box.

4. The packaging of claim 2 , wherein the substrate is configured to tear along tear paths extending along the direction of the pull force.

5. Packaging, comprising:
a base box comprising a first side panel;
a lid comprising:
a first side panel parallel to, and external to, the base box's first side panel; and
a slot formed in the lid's first side panel; and

a ripcord disposed within the slot and fixed to the base box when the packaging is in a closed configuration, such that the base box and lid are secured together in a closed configuration.

6. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the lid comprises cardboard corrugate having a thickness, and wherein the ripcord comprises cardboard corrugate having a thickness, such that the respective edges of the slot and the edges of the ripcord interfere with each other, thereby retaining the lid in place relative to the base box until the ripcord is removed from the packaging.

7. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the ripcord is attached to a substrate formed on the base box's first side panel such that in response to a sufficient force applied along a tearing direction of the ripcord, the substrate tears away from the base box but remains fixed to the ripcord, thereby releasing the lid and base box.

8. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the ripcord is attached to the base box via a splittable adhesive, such that in response to a sufficient force applied along a removal direction of the ripcord, the splittable adhesive splits such that the ripcord is removed, thereby releasing the lid and base box.

9. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is part of a wrap panel and is not fixed to the base box's first side panel.

10. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the ripcord further comprises a tab configured to allow a user to grasp the ripcord, and wherein the substrate terminates in a tab that connects to the tab of the ripcord, and is accessible via a cutout along the base box's first side panel.

11. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the ripcord does not include plastic.

12. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein a length of the slot is longer than a length of the ripcord, along a removal direction of the ripcord.

13. The packaging of claim 5 , wherein the ripcord extends between 50% and 85% of the length of the base box's first side panel, along a removal direction of the ripcord.

14. Packaging, comprising:
a base box comprising:
a first side panel comprising a first material;
a first wrap panel covering an outwardly facing surface of the first side panel and comprising a second material;

a lid comprising:
a first side panel parallel to, and external to, the base box's first side panel, and comprising the first material; and

a first wrap panel covering an outwardly facing surface of the first side panel
and comprising the second material, wherein a slot is disposed in the lid's first side panel and first wrap panel; and

a ripcord disposed within the slot and fixed to the base box's first wrap panel when the packaging is in a closed configuration, such that the base box and lid are secured together via a mechanical lock formed from the ripcord and slot, together, in a closed configuration.

15. The packaging of claim 14 , wherein when the ripcord is pulled with sufficient force, a portion of the base box's first wrap panel tears away with the ripcord, thereby allowing the ripcord to be removed from the slot, and releasing the mechanical lock.

16. The packaging of claim 15 , further comprising:
a secondary panel comprising the second material and disposed beneath the base box's first wrap panel, such that when the ripcord is removed, the first material is not visible to a user.

17. The packaging of claim 16 , wherein the first material is cardboard corrugate, and the second material is not cardboard corrugate.

18. The packaging of claim 14 , wherein the first material is cardboard corrugate, and the second material is not cardboard corrugate.

19. The packaging of claim 14 , wherein first material has a thickness, and wherein the ripcord comprises the first material, such that the thickness of the slot and the thickness of the ripcord interfere with each other, thereby forming the interlocking mechanical lock until the ripcord is removed from the packaging.

20. The packaging of claim 19 , wherein the ripcord further comprises ripcord wrap panels comprising the second material, and wherein the first material is cardboard corrugate, and the second material is not cardboard corrugate.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Uyeda Mark T

Classifications

• B65D55/06 Primary

  Deformable or tearable wires, strings or strips (caps or cap-like closures with tear-strips B65D41/32); Use of seals · CPC title

• B65D5/643

  held in closed position by application of separate elements, e.g. clips, straps (B65D5/6611, B65D5/6673 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D2255/00

  Locking devices · CPC title

• B65D2401/05

  Tearable non-integral strips · CPC title

• B65D5/68 Primary

  Telescope flanged lids · CPC title