US2242711A

US2242711A - Shipping container for citrus fruits and the like

Info

Publication number: US2242711A
Application number: US301273A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul E A Olivier
Original assignee: GREAT SOUTHERN BOX Co Inc
Current assignee: GREAT SOUTHERN BOX Co Inc; GREAT SOUTHERN BOX COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1939-10-25
Filing date: 1939-10-25
Publication date: 1941-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-20

Description

May 20, 1941. P. E. A. OLIVIER SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR CITRUS FRUITS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. '25, 19:59

Patented May 20, 1941 UNETED STAT FICE SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR CITRUS FRUETS AND THE LIKE Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,273

5 Claims.

This invention relates to shipping containers for citrus fruit and the like, and it has for one of its objects the provision of a carton preferably of such size as to constitute a unit for retail sale, adapted to be sealed after filling, and having ends, particularly at the top, adapted to be conformed to the shape of the bulge of the fruit so as to exert pressure upon the fruit to keep the individual fruit from relative movement in the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the class described, having adjustable convex end flaps adapted to be fitted to conform to the bulging fruit, and having arcuate edged lateral end flaps adapted to be inclined inwardly against the bulge of the fruit, and retained from spreading in an outward direction by the overlapping convex flaps.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shipping container for fruit, having z a convex bottom reinforced by closure flanges having their broad faces coinciding and stapled or otherwise secured together, said coinciding faces being in a plane which is vertical when the package is held in its normal position, there being a hand hole beneath the flanges at one end, the flanges at each end resisting strains due to the weight of the fruit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shipping container as described, hav- 3T1 ing knock-outs in certain of its panels, which may be removed for ventilation purposes or for display of the fruit.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been used to denote identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled carton;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton is set up.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral l represents the carton as a whole, which is preferably formed from a single blank, and comprises the front and back panels 2 and 3, side panels 4 and 5, and a securing flap 6 at the end of one of the side panels, which is adapted to be stapled or otherwise secured to the back panel 3 at its free edge. Score marks or other lines of weakness form the longitudinal boundaries of these panels, so that they may be readily bent into a tubular form. and secured. The flap E5 may be dispensed with, if desired, and the meeting edges of the

panels

4 and 3 secured together by an adhesive paper tape (not shown).

The end panels which project from the top and bottom of the face panels are respectively identical. These comprise the top panels I and 3, which are formed on their inner sides with the score lines 9, so that they can be bent or warped into a convex form, and formed on their outer sides with the score lines l0 defining terminal flanges II and 12 which can be bent sharply outwardly, so that their broad inside faces can be brought into coincidence for closing the carton.

At the bottom of the panels 2 and 3 .are the end flaps i3 and M scored in a similar manner to the top flaps so that they can be bent convexly, and so that the bottom terminal flanges l5 and Hi can be bent sharply outwardly and into coincidence, for closing the bottom of the carton. The terminal flanges l and 8, and I5 and I6, are stapled together or otherwise rigidly secured.

From the tops and bottoms of the side panels 4 and 5, are the arcuate edged lateral end flaps H, l8, l9 and 20. These are demarked from the side flaps by score lines 2! and 22, so that the lateral end flaps can be inclined in an inward direction.

In assembling the carton, it is first stapled or otherwise secured in tubular form by bringing the flap 6 and the back panel 3 together. The bottom end is then closed by bringing the flanges H and i2 together, the lateral end flaps IT and It being at the same time pushed inward beneath the overhanging end flaps and 8. The flanges 'l and 8, while in coincidence, are presented to a stapling machine and secured together. The carton is then filled with citrus fruit or fruit of like shape, the fruit being pressed down so as to deform the bottom end panels I and 8 into a convex form, in which form they press down against the arcuate edges of the lateral end panels H and I3, and lock them in their inwardly inclined position. The carton is filled until the fruit bulges above the face panels 2 and 3. The lateral end panels I9 and 20 at the top are then pushed :angularly inward against the bulge of the fruit, and the top, front and. back panels l3 and M are tightly bent over the bulge of the fruit, being thus bent into a convex shape, until the top flanges l5 and I6 come together with their broad faces in coincidence, These flanges are then presented to the stapling machine and stapled.

It will be noted that

hand holes

23 and 24, formed in the blank come together at the lower edges of the top flanges l5 and I6, the bridging portions of said flanges thus becoming a handle having its broad dimension in a plane parallel to the gravitational pull of the fruit, and thus providing as strong a handle as it is possible to produce.

Referring to the bottom, it will be noted that the flanges I and 8 also have their broad dimension in a plane which is parallel to the direction of gravity, and thus afford a girder construction which amply supports the bottom of the container.

In filling the containers, it is of course, impossible that exactly the same bulk of fruit will be placed in each one, so that the bulge at the top may be somewhat greater in some filled cartons than others. The convex top flanges I and 8, are designed to take care of this variation in bulk, as the greater the bulk the more they will be bent over into a convex form in bringing the flanges II and [2 together, so that regardless of such variations in bulk, the convex end flaps, together with the lateral end flaps i7 and I8, will always press firmly against the fruit, preventing the relative movement of fruit in the container, which as is well known, will cause bruising and deterioration of the fruit.

The front and back panels 2 and 3 are shown provided with knock-outs 25, the edges of which are defined by weakened lines 26, cut through at intervals, so that the knock-outs can be readily removed when desired. In general, the face panels of the box will ordinarily be left imperforate during shipment, and the knock-outs will be removed at the place of retail sale, for purpose of ventilation, or to display the fruit.

It is obvious that the knock-outs could be omitted without departing from the scope of the invention, or that they may be of any desired shape and placed upon any of the face panels of the container as may be desired.

While I have in the above description defined what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction as shown and described, are by way of example, and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising a rectangular tubular member having front and back panels, and with infolding flaps at the top and bottom edges of the front and back panels, said flaps being adapted to bend convexly against the bulge of fruit above the level of the front and back panels, each of said convexly bendable flaps terminating in flanges foldable outwardly and in coincidence when the container is closed, said flanges being adapted to be secured together.

2. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising a rectangular tubular member having front and back panels, and with infolding flaps at the top and bottom edges of the front and back panels, said top flaps being adapted to bend convexly against the bulge of fruit above the level of the front and back panels, each of said convexly bendable flaps terminating in flanges foldable outwardly and in coincidence when the container is closed, said flaps being adapted to be secured together, and hand holes in said top flaps extending beneath said flanges at the top, the latter serving as a handle.

3. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising a rectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, with infolding front and back flaps at the top and bottom edges of the front and back panels and infolding arcuate edged lateral end flaps at the top and bottom edges of the side panels, adapted to be inclined inwardly against the bulge of fruit above the level of said panels, said front and back flaps being convexly bendable against the bulge of fruit to closed position, making contact with the arcuate edges of said lateral end flaps, said back and front flaps terminating in outfolding end flanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed and to be secured together.

4. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising a rectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, with infolding front and back flaps and infolding arcuate edged lateral end flaps at the top and bottom edges of the side panels, adapted to be inclined inwardly against the bulge of fruit above the level of said panels, said front and back flaps being longitudinally scored to permit their being bent convexly, against the bulge of fruit, to closed position, thereby making contact with the arcuate edges of said lateral end flaps, said back and front flaps terminating in outfolding end flanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed and thereby secured together, and hand holes in said top flaps extending beneath said flanges, the latter serving as a handle for the container.

5. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising a rectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, identical closure structure for the top and bottom of said container, the closure structure at the top comprising infolding front and back top flaps at the top edges of the front and back panels, and infolding arcuate edged lateral end flaps at the top edges of said side panels, adapted to be inclined inwardly against the bulge of fruit above the level of said panels, said front and back top flanges being convexly bendable against the bulge of fruit to closed position, thereby restraining said lateral end flaps from spreading, said back and front top flaps terminating in outfolding end flanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed, and being adapted to be secured together.

PAUL E. A. OLIVIER.