Box with foldable handle

1. A box comprising:

a first pair of opposing side panels;

a second pair of opposing side panels connecting the first pair of opposing side panels;

a pair of top panels, each top panel joined to one of the side panels of the first pair of opposing side panels; and

a handle assembly, the handle assembly comprising:

a handle portion, the handle portion attached to one of the pair of top panels, the handle portion comprising a tab at a side end of the handle portion, and

a locking panel, the locking panel attached to one of the side panels of the second pair of opposing side panels, the locking panel defining a cut pattern, the cut pattern defining a space therewithin, the cut pattern defining a top edge and an inner flap, the top edge of the cut pattern being a fold line formed by folding the inner flap up above the top edge;

wherein the space within the cut pattern is configured to receive the tab of the handle portion; and

wherein the handle portion is configured to fold from an upright configuration to a folded-down configuration.

2. The box of claim 1 , wherein the handle portion further comprises a middle portion, and a handle notch between the tab and the middle portion.

3. The box of claim 2 , wherein the cut pattern defines a corner cut connected to the top edge of the cut pattern, the corner cut sloping toward a bottom corner of the locking panel.

4. The box of claim 3 , wherein the handle portion is configured to fold from the upright configuration to the folded-down configuration by sliding the handle notch along the corner cut to draw the locking panel toward the top panels.

5. The box of claim 4 , wherein the top edge defines a top notch, the top notch configured to engage the handle notch of the handle portion when the handle portion is in the upright configuration.

6. The box of claim 5 , wherein the folded-down configuration defines a substantially planar upper surface of the box comprising the handle portion, the locking panel, and the top panels.

7. The box of claim 6 , wherein the tab of the handle portion comprises a corner extending laterally beyond a side edge of the adjoining top panel.

8. The box of claim 7 , wherein the cut pattern defines a bottom notch, the bottom notch configured to receive the corner of the tab of the handle portion.

9. The box of claim 8 , wherein the cut pattern further defines a vertical edge extending from the bottom notch, the vertical edge configured to allow the handle portion to fold down in only one direction.

10. The box of claim 1 , wherein the locking panel comprises a top corner, and at least one of the top panels defines a securing cut configured to receive the top corner of the locking panel and maintain the handle portion in the folded-down configuration.

11. A method of assembling a box, comprising:

obtaining a box blank, the box blank comprising:

at least four connected side panels;

a pair of top panels, the top panels joined to a first nonadjacent pair of the side panels;

a handle portion, the handle portion attached to one of the top panels, the handle portion comprising a tab at a side end of the handle portion;

a locking panel, the locking panel attached to one of the side panels of a second nonadjacent pair of side panels, the locking panel defining a cut pattern, the cut pattern defining a space therewithin;

folding the blank to form a box cavity defined by the at least four connected side panels;

folding the top panels toward each other;

folding an inner flap defined by the cut pattern up above a fold line to form a top edge of the cut pattern;

inserting the tab of the handle portion into the space of the cut pattern of the locking panel; and

folding down the handle portion.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein folding down the handle portion comprises drawing the locking panel toward the top panels.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the handle portion further comprises a middle portion and a handle notch between the tab and the middle portion;

the cut pattern defines a corner cut connected to the top edge of the cut pattern, the corner cut sloping toward a bottom corner of the locking panel; and

drawing the locking panel toward the top panels comprises sliding the handle notch along the corner cut.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising inserting a top corner of the locking panel into a securing cut of one of the top panels.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising assembling a plurality of boxes by the same method, and stacking the boxes on top of each other.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising folding the handle portion up into an upright position after folding down the handle portion.

17. A blank for a box comprising:

at least two connected side panels comprising a first side panel and a second side panel;

a top panel, the top panel joined to the first side panel;

a handle portion, the handle portion attached to the top panel, the handle portion comprising a tab at a side end of the handle portion;

a locking panel, the locking panel attached to the second side panel, the locking panel defining a cut pattern, the cut pattern defining:

a top edge;

a corner cut joined to the top edge, the corner cut following a curvilinear slope towards a bottom corner of the locking panel; and

a vertical side cut joined to the corner cut, the vertical side cut extending to a fold line between the locking panel and the adjoining side panel; and

wherein the top edge of the cut pattern is a top fold line, and the cut pattern defines a boundary around a foldable flap, the boundary comprising the top fold line, the corner cut, the vertical side cut, and an inner cut, the inner cut defining a horizontal bottom cut joined to the vertical side cut.

18. The blank of claim 17 , wherein the cut pattern further defines an outer cut, the outer cut comprising the corner cut, the vertical side cut, a first bottom cut joined to the vertical side cut, and a bottom notch joined to an end of the first bottom cut.