BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folded product container of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the single sheet blank for the folded product container of the FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of an initial step in assembling the folded product container of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a further step in the assembly of the folded product container of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view, in section, of a rear, right corner column of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folded product container 12 of the present invention in its assembled configuration. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the single sheet blank of the container 12 before it is assembled into the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The container 12 of the invention may be constructed of a single sheet of material where the material is any material that is typically used in the construction of folded containers. However, as will be evident from the following description of the assembly of the container 12 shown in FIG. 1 from the blank shown in FIG. 2, the container 12 of the invention does not use any glue or other types of adhesives or securing means in the assembly of the container 12 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the container 12 is formed with a rectangular bottom panel 14 having parallel front 16 and rear 18 edges, and parallel left side 22 and right side 24 edges. Alternatively, the configuration of the bottom panel 14 could be square. A plurality of front edge slots 26 are formed in the bottom panel along the front edge 16, and a plurality of the rear edge slots 28 are formed in the bottom panel along the rear edge 18.
A front panel 32 is connected integrally with the bottom panel 14 along the bottom panel front edge 16. The front panel 32 has a trapezoidal configuration as shown in FIG. 2. When constructing the folded container, the front panel 32 is folded along the bottom panel front edge 16 so that the front panel extends upwardly from the bottom panel front edge 16 at a right angle orientation relative to the bottom panel 14. A front panel flap 34 is connected integrally with the front panel 32 along a fold line 36. As seen in FIG. 2, the front panel flap 34 is positioned on an opposite side of the front panel 32 from the bottom panel front edge 16. The front panel flap 34 is folded inwardly over the bottom panel 14 and downwardly so that the front panel flap 34 overlaps the front panel 32 on the interior of the folded container. A plurality of tabs 38 project from the front panel flap 34 on an opposite side of the flap from the fold line 36. The tabs 38 engage in the front edge slots 26 in the bottom panel 14 to securely hold the front panel flap 34 in its position folded over the front panel 32 in the interior of the container. The front panel flap 34 also has a pair of flanges 42 that project from opposite sides of the front panel flap 34 as shown in FIG. 2. These flanges 42 are employed in constructing rigid configuration of the container 14 to be described.
A rear panel 32′ is connected integrally with the bottom panel 14 along the bottom panel rear edge 18. The rear panel 32′ has the same construction as the front panel 32 described earlier, and the component parts of the rear panel 32′ that correspond to the component parts of the front panel 32 are identified using the same reference numbers followed by a prime (′). It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the rear panel 32′ is a mirror image of the front panel 32. Thus, the rear panel 32′ includes a rear panel flap 34′, a rear panel flap fold line 36′ rear panel flap tabs 38′ and rear panel flap flanges 42′. In assembling the container 12, the rear panel 32′ is folded to extend upwardly from the bottom panel 14, the rear panel flap 34′ is folded over the rear panel 32′, and the rear panel flap tabs 38′ are inserted in the rear edge slots 28 of the bottom panel 14.
A left side panel 46 is connected integrally with the bottom panel 14 along the bottom panel left side edge 22. In assembling the folded container 12, the left side panel 46 is folded to extend upwardly from the bottom panel left side edge 22. As seen in FIG. 2, the left side panel 46 has a rectangular configuration. The left side panel 46 also has a left top panel 48 connected integrally with the left side panel 46 along a fold line 52 that is on an opposite side of the left side panel 46 from the bottom panel 14. In assembling the folded container, the left top panel 48 is folded along the fold line 52 to a position where the left top panel 48 is substantially parallel with the bottom panel. A pair of slots 52 are provided in the left side panel 46 adjacent the fold line 52. A left top flap 56 is connected integrally with the left top panel 48 along a fold line 58 that is positioned on an opposite side of the left top panel 48 from the fold line 52 that connects the left top panel 48 with the left side panel 46. The left top flap 46 is folded under the left top panel 48 along the left top flap fold line 58 to reinforce the left top panel 48. A plurality of tabs 62 project outwardly from an opposite edge of the left top flap 56 from the left top panel 48. The tabs 62 are positioned to engage in the slots 54 in the left top panel fold line 52 when the left top flap 56 is folded under the left top panel 48 in assembling the container 12. The left side panel 46 is also provided with a hand hole 64 for carrying the folded container 12.
A plurality of front, left column panels are integrally connected to a forward edge of the left side panel 46 as shown in FIG. 2. These front left column panels include a first 72 front left column panel, a second 74 front left column panel, a third 76 front left column panel and a fourth 78 front left column panel. These panels 72, 74, 76, 78 are all integrally connected with the left side panel 46 by a plurality of respective fold lines 82, 84, 86, 88. As seen in FIG. 2, each of the column of panels 72, 74, 76, 78 has an equivalent length dimension from left to right as viewed in FIG. 2. The transverse width dimension of each panel is not the same. The first and second front left column panels 72, 74 have the same width dimensions. The fourth front left column panel 78 has a slightly smaller width dimension than the first and second front left column panels 72, 74. The third front left column panel 76 has the smallest width dimension of the four panels. These different width dimensions enable the four column panels to be folded over each other to form a hollow, tubular column. Referring to FIG. 2, the four front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 are folded upwardly across the respective fold lines 82, 84, 86, 88 toward the left side panel 46 in forming a front left column 92 of the container 12. The folded configuration of the front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The front, left column 92 formed is positioned in the front, left corner of the container 12 and has a hollow, tubular triangular configuration. The height dimension of the front, left column 92 corresponds to the length dimension of each of the front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 in constructing the folded container 12. With the front left column 92 positioned in the front left corner of the folded container 12, and the second front left column panel 74 forms a column wall that extends upwardly from the bottom panel 14 of the folded container and extends between the front panel 32 and the left side panel 46. This column wall formed by the second front left column panel 74 provides a reinforcing diagonal wall in the interior of the forward container 12 that further reinforces the container.
A left column flap 94 extends from an edge of the first front left column panel 72. The flap 94 is inserted between the left top panel 48 and the left top flap 56 after the front left column has been formed by folding over the four left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 and after the left side panel 12 is positioned extending upwardly from the bottom panel left side edge 22, and prior to the left top flap 56 being folded under the left top panel 48. This positioning of the left column flap 94 helps hold the four front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 in their folded triangular column configuration.
A front, left column slot 96 is provided in the second front, left column panel 74. When the front, left column 92 is formed by folding the four front, left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78, the front, left column slot 96 is positioned to receive the left side flange 42 of the pair of flanges provided on the opposite sides of the front panel flap 34. The engagement of the flange 42 in the front, left column slot 96 securely holds the front panel flap 34 in its folded-over position adjacent the front panel 32, and securely holds the front, left column 92 in its folded configuration and the front panel 32 to the left side panel 46.
The opposite side of the left side panel 46 has four column panels integrally connected thereto. These include a first rear left column panel 102, a second rear left column panel 104, a third rear left column panel 106, and a fourth rear left column panel 108. These four panels 102, 104, 106, 108 are mirror images of the front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78, and their assembly into a rear left column 112 is the same as the front left column 92 discussed above. The constructions of the rear left column panels 102, 104, 106, 108 and their assembly into the rear left column 112 therefore will not be repeated.
The rear left column 112 also has a rear left column flap 114 that is positioned between the left top panel 48 and the left top flap 56 in the same manner as the previously described left column flap 94 when the folded container 12 is assembled.
The rear column 112 also has a rear column slot 116. The slot 116 receives a flange 42′ that projects from the rear panel flap 34′ to secure the rear, left column 112 in its folded configuration and to secure the rear panel 32′ to the left side panel 46′.
The container also includes a right side panel 46′ that is a mirror image in construction of the left side panel 46. This can be seen in FIG. 2. Because the construction of the right side panel 46′ is the same as that of the left side panel 46, the same reference numbers employed earlier in describing the component parts of the construction of the left side panel 46 are used to label the component parts of the right side panel 46′, but the reference numbers are followed by a prime (′). Because the right side panel 46′ is a mirror image of the left side panel 46 in construction, the specifics of the construction of the right side panel 46′ will not be repeated.
In assembling the container 12 into the folded configuration shown in FIG. 1, the left side panel 46 and right side panel 46′ are positioned so that they extend upwardly from the left side edge 22 and the right side edge 24 of the bottom panel 14. The front left column 92 and the rear left column 112, and the front right column 92′ and the rear right column 112′ are then formed by folding over the respective front left column panels 72, 74, 76, 78 and the rear left column panels 102, 104, 106,108, and the front right column panels 72′, 74′, 76′, 78′ and the rear right column panels 102′, 104′, 106′, 108′ into their triangular cross-section column configurations shown in FIG. 4. This positions a hollow, tubular column in each of the corners of the folded container 12.
In the initial steps of folding the column panels, after the first column panels 72,102, 72′, 102′ are folded at right angles relative to their respective side panels 46, 46′, the front left column flap 94, the rear left column flap 114, the front right column flap 94′, and the rear right column flap 114′ are then folded inwardly to positions that are substantially parallel over the bottom panel 14. The left, top panel 48 and the right, top panel 48′ are then folded inwardly over the bottom panel 14 and over the previously-folded left column flaps 94, 114 and right column flaps 94′, 114′. The left, top flap 56 is then folded underneath the left, top panel 48, the front, left column flap 94, and the rear, left column flap 114. The right, top flap 56′ is folded underneath the right, top panel 48′ and the front, right column flap 94′ and the rear, right column flap 114′. The flap tabs 62, 62′ are inserted in the slots 54, 54′ in the respective left-side panel 46 and right-side panel 46′ to complete the assembly of the opposite sides of the folded container 12 shown in FIG. 1. The construction of the columns 92,112, 92′, 112′ is then completed as discussed above.
The front panel 32 and rear panel 32′ are then positioned extending upwardly from the respective bottom panel front edge 16 and bottom panel rear edge 18. The front panel flap 34 and rear panel flap 34′ are then folded into the interior of the container in positions overlapping the respective front panel 32 and rear panel 32′. The tabs 38, 38′ on the respective front panel flap 34 and rear panel flap 34′ are then inserted into the respective front edge slots 26 and rear edge slots 28 of the bottom panel 14. The front panel flanges 42 and the rear panel flanges 42′ are inserted into the front column slots 96, 96′ and the rear panel flanges 42′ are inserted into the rear column slots 116, 116′ in completing the assembly of the folded container 12 shown in FIG. 1.
As seen in FIG. 1, the front 32 and rear 32′ panels have equivalent height dimensions extending upwardly from the bottom panel 14, and the left side panel 46 and the right side panel 46′ also have equivalent height dimensions extending upwardly from the bottom panel 14. The left side panel 46 and right side panel 46′ height dimension is larger than the height dimension of the front panel 32 and the rear panel 32′. This produces a top opening in the folded container and also a front and rear opening above the respective front panel 32 and rear panel 32′ of the container. These openings enable the products contained in the container to be displayed through the openings to potential consumers of the products.
Thus, the folded container 12 of the inventions provides a container that is folded from a single sheet of material without requiring gluing. The folded container has four tubular columns positioned at the corners of the container that reinforce the container. Furthermore, the folded container has an open top and an open front and rear that provides access to the interior of the container for using the container as a product display. The reinforced configuration of the container provided by the four columns allows the containers to be stacked.
The folded product container of the invention described above provides the benefit of the reduced cost of a container formed a single sheet of material that is folded to produce the container without requiring gluing. In addition, the novel configuration of the folded container provides four triangular cross-section columns at the four corners of the container that reinforce the container for stacking, while still allowing display of products in the container through the top opening and front and rear openings of the stacked containers.
Although the folded container of the invention has been described above by reference to a single embodiment, it should be understood that modifications and variations could be made to the container without departing from the intended scope of the following claims.
Patent Application
20080054061
