Patent Application
20240300713
Embodiments are in the field of containers. More particularly, embodiments disclosed herein relate to containers which, inter alia, foster a container with a movable separation panel. The container can be rapidly and easily formed. The container may be used to carry cups and beverages. The container provides convenience while reducing material and manufacturing costs.
There are several challenges that are associated with packaging food, cups, beverages, consumer products, etc. For example, containers may be required to be held for a variety of purposes such as carrying, lifting, pouring, serving, using, delivering, catering, storing, moving, transporting, etc. In addition, these containers may be required to be formed quickly and conveniently.
To address the previous challenges, a number of packaging solutions have been proposed. These packaging solutions (e.g., extended handles, cup carriers, large folding trays, etc.) use significantly more material than required by typical containers. As a result, cost effectiveness may be compromised. In addition, these packaging solutions may not provide a convenient box forming experience.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a container that is able to overcome the above disadvantages.
Advantages of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the detailed description.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are drawn to a container, where the container or a blank used to make the container comprises two side panels, two side portions, a separation panel, and a bottom panel.
A first aspect of the present disclosure is drawn to embodiments directed to a container and to blanks used for making the container. The container is movable between a flat configuration and a box configuration. The container comprises a first side panel hingedly coupled to a first side portion, a second side panel hingedly coupled to a second side portion, a separation panel, and a bottom panel. The separation panel is hingedly coupled to the first side portion. The separation panel is hingedly coupled to the second side portion. The separation panel comprises a handle. The bottom panel and the separation panel face each other when the container is in the box configuration. The first side panel and the second side panel face each other when the container is in the box configuration. The container is further movable between the box configuration and a formed configuration. The first side portion is configured to fold towards the first side panel. The second side portion is configured to fold towards the second side panel. The first side portion and the first side panel face each other when the container is in the formed configuration. The second side portion and the second side panel face each other when the container is in the formed configuration. The separation panel and the bottom panel are substantially orthogonal with respect to each other when the container is in the formed configuration. The container is configured to be held via the handle when the container is in the formed configuration.
A second aspect of the present disclosure is drawn to embodiments directed to a container and to blanks used for making the container. The container is movable between a flat configuration and a box configuration. The container comprises a first side panel hingedly coupled to a first side portion, a second side panel hingedly coupled to a second side portion, a separation panel, and a bottom panel. The separation panel is hingedly coupled to the first side portion. The separation panel is hingedly coupled to the second side portion. The bottom panel and the separation panel face each other when the container is in the box configuration. The first side panel and the second side panel face each other when the container is in the box configuration. The container is further movable between the box configuration and a formed configuration. The first side portion is configured to fold towards the first side panel. The second side portion is configured to fold towards the second side panel. The first side portion and the first side panel face each other when the container is in the formed configuration. The second side portion and the second side panel face each other when the container is in the formed configuration. The separation panel and the bottom panel are substantially orthogonal with respect to each other when the container is in the formed configuration.
Additional embodiments and additional features of embodiments for containers or for blanks used for making containers are described below and are hereby incorporated into this section.
The detailed description will refer to the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present disclosure may have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present disclosure, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements found in a typical container or typical method of using a container. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements may be desirable and/or required in order to implement the embodiments disclosed herein. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It is also to be understood that the drawings included herewith only provide diagrammatic representations of the presently preferred structures of the present disclosure and that structures falling within the scope of the present disclosure may include structures different than those shown in the drawings. Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures are provided with like reference designations.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “planar” refers to an element or combination of elements that may have any thickness, and having sides defining the thickness that are parallel with each other.
For purposes of this disclosure, the expression “A is hingedly coupled to B” refers to an element A being movably coupled to an element B via a hinge. A hinge may comprise a perforation, a crease, a score, a bend, a section with less thickness than surrounding material, a section with less density than surrounding material, and a combination thereof. The coupling of element A and element B via a hinge may require folding, joining, and/or attaching elements of a blank (e.g. by using a glue tab, a glue flap, an extended tab, an extended flap, etc.)
For purposes of this disclosure, the expression “A is configured to fold towards B” refers to at least a portion of element A being configured to fold towards at least a portion of element B via a hinge.
For purposes of this disclosure, the “usable space of the container” refers to a space that is configured to contain content to be carried and/or to be held in the container when the container is in a formed configuration.
For purposes of this disclosure, the expression “A and B are substantially orthogonal with respect to each other” refers to the angle defined by element A and element B being within a reasonable range from a right angle (e.g., 90°±30°).
Embodiments are directed to a container. Embodiments are also directed to a blank used for making a container. The container may be used for packaging various products (e.g., cups, beverages, bottles, consumer products, etc.), and for shipping (e.g., moving, carrying, deliveries, catering, etc.), or other suitable uses. The uses of the container are abundant. The spectrum of users may include manufacturers, restaurants, retailers, stores, distributors (e.g., fulfillment centers, warehouses, storage facilities, etc.), end-customers, and consumers. For example, the container may be used to carry cups, beverages and bottles for take-out, catering, food delivery, food transportation, etc.
The composition of the containers may vary. Portions or all of the container may comprise a suitable flexible material that allows for folding, collapsing, and moving such as cardboard, paperboard, paper, corrugated carton, plastic, corrugated plastic, polymers, metal, or combinations thereof. In addition, the container may comprise a plurality of different suitable materials. The material of any portion of the container may be chosen for reusability of the container, or, alternatively, the material may be chosen based on a disposable (i.e., a one-time or limited use) variation.
The size, dimensions, thickness, shape, and weight of the container or portions of the container may vary. Portions or all of the container may be configured based on the desired overall features of the container, content to be contained in the container, and/or content to be carried in the container. Hence, the size, dimensions, thickness, shape and weight of portions or all of the container may vary. Moreover, the position, the length and the orientation of the various hinges may be configured based on the desired overall features of the container.
The manufacturing of the container may vary. Desired objectives for the manufacturing processes may include reducing material costs, reducing manufacturing costs, reducing material waste, reducing manufacturing complexity, reducing shipping costs, or a combination thereof. The container may be made from a single sheet of material or may be assembled by coupling (e.g., connecting, attaching, joining, etc.) various portions of a plurality of independent sheets of material. Furthermore, portions or all of the container may comprise more than one layer of material. For example, multiple layers of material may be attached or glued to each other.
The manufacturing of the blank may vary. Desired objectives for the manufacturing processes may include reducing material costs, reducing manufacturing costs, reducing material waste, reducing manufacturing complexity, reducing shipping costs, or a combination thereof. The blank may be made from a single sheet of material or may be assembled by coupling (e.g., connecting, attaching, joining, etc.) various portions of a plurality of independent sheets of material.
With reference to
In an embodiment, the container is capable of maintaining the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the separation panel 103, 203 extends beyond the first side panel 101, 201, beyond the second side panel 111, 211, or beyond both when the container is in the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the separation panel 103, 203 is configured to compartmentalize a usable space of the container when the container is in the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the container further comprises at least one end flap 115, 125, 215, 225 hingedly coupled to the first side panel 101, 201. The at least one end flap 115, 125, 215, 225 and the separation panel 103, 203 are substantially planar with respect to each other when the container is in the box configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the container is made from a blank 100, 200, 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, 300f, 400a, 400b, 400c, 400d, 400e, 400f, 500a, 500b (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the first side panel 101, 201 is hingedly coupled to the bottom panel 107, 207 (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the second side panel 111, 211 is hingedly coupled to the bottom panel 107, 207 (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the first side portion 502 comprises at least one additional hinge 551 to facilitate moving the container from the box configuration to the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the second side portion 512 comprises at least one additional hinge 552 to facilitate moving the container from the box configuration to the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the separation panel 503 further comprises at least one additional hinge 553 to facilitate moving the container from the box configuration to the formed configuration (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the separation panel 203 is a first separation panel 203. The container further comprises a third side panel 221, a fourth side panel 231 and a second separation panel 213. The third side panel 221 is hingedly coupled to a third side portion 222. The fourth side panel 231 is hingedly coupled to a fourth side portion 232. The second separation panel 213 is hingedly coupled to the third side portion 222. The second separation panel 213 is hingedly coupled to the fourth side portion 232 (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the first separation panel 203 and the second separation panel 213 are joined to each other (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the fourth side panel 231 and the second side panel 211 are joined to each other (e.g.,
In an embodiment, the separation panel 503 is hingedly coupled to a partial separation panel 560 (e.g.,
With reference to
In an embodiment, the container is made from a blank 100, 200, 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, 300f, 400a, 400b, 400c, 400d, 400e, 400f, 500a, 500b (e.g.,
Although embodiments are described above with reference to a container or a blank used to make the container, wherein the at least one end flap is shown hingedly coupled to the first side panel prior to folding the blank, the at least one end flap described in any of the above embodiments may alternatively be configured to be hingedly coupled to the second side panel prior to folding the blank. Such alternatives are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and may therefore utilize the advantages of the configurations and embodiments described above.
In addition, although embodiments are described above with reference to a container, wherein the first side portion and the first side panel are shown hingedly coupled via a 45° hinge, the structure and design features of the first side portion, the first side panel, and the hinge coupling them described in any of the above embodiments may vary based on the desired objectives and applications. Portions or all of the container may be configured to accommodate such alternatives. Such alternatives are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and may therefore utilize the advantages of the configurations and embodiments described above.
Further, although embodiments are described above with reference to a container, wherein the separation panel and the bottom panel are shown perpendicular with each other when the container is in the formed configuration, the angle between the separation panel and the bottom panel described in any of the above embodiments may vary. Portions or all of the container may be configured to accommodate such alternatives. Such alternatives are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and may therefore utilize the advantages of the configurations and embodiments described above.
Yet further, although embodiments are described above with reference to a container, wherein the container is shown with uniform portions (e.g., with uniform thickness), portions or all of the container described in any of the above embodiments may alternatively be non-uniform (e.g., having varying thickness, discontinuities such as holes, slits, grooves, ridges, slits, a combination thereof, etc.). Such alternatives are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and may therefore utilize the advantages of the configurations and embodiments described above.
The method steps in any of the embodiments described herein are not restricted to being performed in any particular order. Also, structures mentioned in any of the method embodiments may utilize structures mentioned in any of the device embodiments. Such structures may be described in detail with respect to the device embodiments only but are applicable to any of the method embodiments.
Features in any of the embodiments described in this disclosure may be employed in combination with features in other embodiments described herein, such combinations are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The contemplated modifications and variations specifically mentioned in this disclosure are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
More generally, even though the present disclosure and exemplary embodiments are described above with reference to the examples according to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that they are not restricted thereto. Rather, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments can be modified in many ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein. Moreover, the terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the following claims, and their equivalents, in which all terms are to be understood in their broadest possible sense unless otherwise indicated.
For the figures referred to herein, a summary of the reference numbers used in the figures is included in Table 1, below.
Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the disclosure described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
The present application claims priority to U.S. 63/451,345, filed Mar. 10, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63451345 | Mar 2023 | US |
