Patent Application
20080000784
Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
The present invention provides a blank and resulting container for holding any variety of goods. By way of overview and with references to
With respect to
Side panel 24 is generally rectangular in shape. The length of the side panel 24 measured along fold line 23 is substantially equal to the length of the bottom panel 22 measured along the same fold line.
End panel 26 is also generally rectangular in shape and is connected with the bottom panel along fold line 25. End panel 26 may include optional cut-out 44. Said cut-out 44 may be a hand-hold vent or other type structure. The length of the end panel 26 measured along fold line 25 is substantially equal to the width of the bottom panel 22 measured along the same fold line.
Rollover panel 28 is connected with the end panel 26 via spaced apart fold lines 33. H-cuts are formed in a portion of the end panel 26 and a portion of rollover panel 28, and lie substantially perpendicular to the spaced apart fold lines 33.
Attached to the side panel 24 is a first corner assembly panel 30. The first corner assembly panel 30 is connected to the side panel 24 along a fold line 27. Connected to the first corner assembly panel 30 opposite said side panel 24 is a second corner assembly panel 32. The second corner assembly panel 32 is attached with the first corner assembly panel 30 along a fold line 29. The third corner assembly panel 34 is attached to the second corner assembly panel 32 along a fold line 31. As formed the first corner assembly panel 30, second corner assembly panel 32, and third corner assembly panel 34 lie adjacent to, but are not connected with end panel 26.
It is to be understood that the various panels are to be cut such that when the container is erected as disclosed below, the open top are of the container is smaller than the bottom panel. This is achieved by forming the various side, end and corner assembly panels with an inside taper to them. The inside taper design causes the various sidewalls to lean slightly inwardly when the container is erected. Two distinct advantage result from the inside taper. First, since the top is smaller4 than the bottom, it helps to discourage telescoping when multiple containers are stacked vertically. Secondly, the inside taper helps keep the various corner panels locked into position. Both of these advantages are not typically found in straight walled containers.
In order to further illustrate the various aspects about the embodiments,
With specific reference to
It should also be noted, as depicted in the FIGURES, the overall size of the second corner assembly panel 32 and third corner assembly panel 34 are such that the width of the bottom panel 22 measured along fold line 25 is greater than twice the combined length of the second corner assembly panel 32 and third corner assembly panel 34 measured along the same fold line 25. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the width of the bottom panel 22 measured along fold line 25 may be equal to about twice the combined length of the second corner assembly panel 32 and third corner assembly panel 34 measured along the same fold line 25.
The next box erection step is to fold the first corner assembly panel 30 and the second corner assembly panel 32 inwardly about 90 degrees along fold line 27. This step places the first corner assembly panel 30 and the second corner assembly panel 32 in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane the third corner assembly panel 34 and the side panel 24 share. It will be appreciated that in this stage of container erection, the saddle cutouts 36 are substantially aligned with the H-cut 35, this relationship will be described in more detail below.
Subsequently end panels 26 and rollover panels 28 are folded inwardly along a fold line 23. As best seen in
With specific references now to
These assorted corner panel assemblies are configured to form multi-panel corner assemblies once the container 50 is formed. As these panels will, to an extent, fold over each, their juxtaposed positioned relative to each other combined with their association with the side panel 24 provide a container with significantly increased corner stacking strength. Further, as the various corner assembly panels are connected, and as they extend along both the side panel 24 and end panel 26, the lateral strength of the container 50 is greatly increased. Also the spaced apart fold lines 33 that define the rollover panel 28 provides a stacking or bearing surface for successive containers 50 to be stacked vertically on top of one another (not shown).
One of the many unique features of this embodiment is the extremely limited use of adhesive or the lack of needing to use adhesive at all. In one embodiment, no adhesive or fasters are used with this container 50. In another embodiment adhesive is used only between side panel 24 and the first corner assembly panel 30. The specific location where an adhesive is placed between the respective panels will be known to those skilled in the art and is therefore not discussed herein. However, it will be appreciated that the location and amount of adhesive, if used, will be sufficient to ensure container integrity.
The container 50 as shown is simple to manufacture, easy to assemble and may be a design of considerable usage in club stores or bulk stores where products are sold in large quantities on the open floor. However, this design is also useful in any variety of retail or wholesale environments.
While various embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the various embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by references to the claims that follow.
