Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/20—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides to form a container body, e.g. of tray-like form
  • B65D5/24—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides to form a container body, e.g. of tray-like form with adjacent sides interconnected by gusset folds
  • B65D5/248—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides to form a container body, e.g. of tray-like form with adjacent sides interconnected by gusset folds and at least one side being extended and doubled-over to enclose the adjacent gusset flaps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/001—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable
  • B65D5/0015—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/001—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable
  • B65D5/0015—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel
  • B65D5/002—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel having integral corner posts
  • B65D5/0025—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel having integral corner posts the corner posts being formed as a prolongation of a doubled-over extension of the side walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/001—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable
  • B65D5/0015—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel
  • B65D5/003—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel having ledges formed by extensions of the side walls
  • B65D5/0035—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper stackable the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel having ledges formed by extensions of the side walls the ledges being located between side walls and doubled-over extensions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
  • B65D5/44—Integral, inserted or attached portions forming internal or external fittings
  • B65D5/48—Partitions
  • B65D5/48024—Partitions inserted
  • B65D5/48048—Single partition formed by folding one or more blanks and provided with flaps fixed to or maintained by parts of the container body

Definitions

• the invention relates to paperboard, corrugated or similar cartons and containers, made in an automated manner by folding panels of an integral flat blank and gluing the panels at key locations including gusset corner joints.
• Each gusset corner joint has a back fold glued to one of side or end panels, and erects one of panels (e.g., a side panel) when the adjacent panel- (e.g., an end panel) is lifted perpendicular to the bottom from a knocked down flat configuration of the folded/glued blank.
• the container is optimized for shopping access, particularly for warehouse- type retail establishments in which products are sold from containers stacked on pallets. Cutouts for manual access to the contents are provided in each of the four side and end panels of the container. The cutouts are spaced inwardly from the corners, leaving panels forming wall portions that meet at the corners. At least at one of the panels at each gusset corner joint, a vertical-reinforcing structure having at least two glued thicknesses of material is folded inwardly and encloses over the associated gusset corner joint.
• the vertical-reinforcing structure has oppositely directed lock tabs, one attaching the reinforcing structure to the bottom and the other protruding upwardly to engage a container stacked atop the first container.
• the container By locking over the gusset comer joint, the container is held in a rectilinear erected shape.
• the structural integrity of the container against bending or warping of its rectilinear shape is further maintained by edge fold-in panels at each cutout, which also fold inwardly and tab lock into the bottom.
• Corrugated and paperboard containers are made from one or more pieces of flat stock that are cut in required shapes and are assembled to form the walls of a full or partial enclosure. Variations are possible in which several separately-
• SUBST ⁇ UTE SHEET (RULE 26) integral parts are formed and then are assembled using glue, tape, staples or the like.
• the container body and lid may be separate parts, or various types of inserts may be used for reinforcement or other purposes, such as subdividing the volume of the container into discrete areas.
• Containers are supplied in a collapsed state because storage or handling of empty containers is wasteful of space.
• the containers are partly formed, with their parts cut out and certain seams and folds provided.
• the packer erects the containers prior to loading, and finishes any required assembly steps in the process.
• the loaded containers may be closed for storage or shipment by a lid formed from integral flaps or a separate piece, as suitable for storage or shipment.
• a container may be cut out from integral flat stock, folded and scored at spaced parallel lines corresponding to the corners of the container (with at least one seam), and supplied with the opposite side and end walls collapsed flat against one another.
• Top and bottom flaps are likewise integrally attached to the side and end walls at folds or score lines.
• the packer erects the container from a flat parallelogram into its rectilinear shape, folding the bottom and top flaps inwardly before and after loading, respectively, and finally closing the container at seams that are taped, glued or otherwise attached.
• Cartons or containers formed from paperboard, corrugated craft or similar flat sheet stock material are often stacked on one another during shipping and storage of products, in high volume retail stores, product is not only stored in stacked corrugated cartons, but frequently is presented to consumers in that form, for example with the cartons stacked on pallets.
• Stacking is obviously efficient as to the use of space, and storing a large quantity of product at a location accessible to the retail purchasers reduces the frequency of restocking.
• Pallets also enable a number of cartons to be handled efficiently as a unit.
• the uppermost remaining carton on a pallet can be opened by removal of its lid. Consumers reach into the packing/shipping carton and withdraw product that is packaged in smaller units. When the cartons on the uppermost level are empty, they are removed and the next lower cartons are opened. It is possible to provide a tear-out opening in the side walls of a carton to facilitate access to the product therein.
• the tear-out panel provides structural support for the carton and protects the product, until the panel is torn out, normally at perforations defining a window spaced from the corners of the carton, to allow access.
• tear-out panel removes a substantial part of the structural support for the carton. Therefore, such panels are not removed until a carton is at the stage where consumer access is needed (e.g., on top of a stack). If a carton with a removed tear-out panel is subjected to vertical compression force, for example as occurs in stacking on a pa ⁇ et, there is a tendency for the end walls of the carton adjacent to the tear-out panel to collapse inwardly toward one another or to splay outwardly because the tear-out panel is not in place to bear compression and tension loads.
• Stacked cartons can have protruding tabs that engage in corresponding openings in adjacent cartons such that the cartons are stacked in registry.
• Stacking tabs help to maintain the integrity of a stack because the vertical walls of stacked cartons are kept in vertical alignment, defining columns in which the vertical walls of each carton are aligned with the corresponding vertical walls of other cartons for bearing vertical compression force.
• cartons stacked in registry are subject to collapse by their opposite vertical wails becoming diverted inwardly toward one another or splayed outwardly, particularly if the material between such walls is removed by a gap or tear-out panel.
• Containers in stacks are subjected to various forces, not limited to vertical compression due to the weight of containers over them in a stack. Such forces (as well as vertical compressive forces) are aggravated by handling, for example transport of a stack on a pallet, manual handling of one or more containers in a stack, etc.
• Tension and/or compression applied in various directions to the container walls can be sufficient to wholly or partly collapse a container or laterally to deflect, bend or fold the vertically oriented walls of the container. The result is a reduction of structural integrity, and may include crushing or other damage to the container contents.
• the deformed container may no longer provide a stable horizontal support for containers stacked over it.
• the overlying stack may then tip laterally.
• a leaning "tower" of containers may fall, and even if there is no injury to persons, the contents of the containers may spill or be damaged.
• U.S. Patents 5,839,650 and 5,413,276 - Sheffer which are hereby incorporatec.
• the carton is cut, glued and folded from a flat blank.
• Sidewall openings are provided such that the customer can reach into the carton from the front or from the top when the carton is opened.
• the sidewall openings are covered by flaps attached to top panels of the carton such that the openings are uncovered when the top is removed.
• Two sidewall openings are provided in the same front sidewall, leaving a web of the sidewall between them, which is supported by an internal wall spanning from the back wall to the web at the front wall, to which the internal wall is attached.
• This carton is apt for pallet displays and the like because it provides protection and support during shipping and access to the product when opened. However once opened, the carton is prone to collapse because the gaps or sidewall openings provided for access reduce the vertical stacking strength of the carton.
• instability leading to spills and possible collapse of a stack may be caused by containers being shifted horizontally relative to underlying containers.
• Customer access and traffic in retail/warehouse stores makes it likely that containers will be shifted horizontally.
• an integral blank container including end walls with spaced inner and outer end wall panels and an upper/edge is disclosed.
• the end wall panels and ledge encompass hollow erectable support columns that are associated with upwardly protruding stacking tabs.
• the internal hollow columns which are supported by folded and glued panels and are opened under the ledge when the container is in an erected state, vertically reinforce the end walls of the container.
• U.S. Patent 4,899,929 - Grollman discloses self-erecting bottom flaps connected to container side walls by folded-back glued gusset panels.
• the gusset panels are arranged to pull the bottom flaps downwardly into a position perpendicular to the side wails when the side and end walls are unfolded from one another during manual expansion of the container from a flattened parallelogram into a rectilinear box.
• the foregoing applications include locking tab structures in which a plural thickness tab protrudes upwardly from the structure of the container end wall to engage in an opening in a similar container stacked thereon.
• One objective of cartons or containers as described is to support the products that have been loaded into the containers, as well as to bear the load of additional containers that may be stacked on a given container.
• the panels that are folded and glued can include wall panels having multiple thicknesses of glued-together material and/or partition walls that extend between opposite side walls or end walls.
• the present invention provides a site-erected container or carton that is at least substantially formed from a folded and glued, knocked-down-flat blank made from an integral flat sheet.
• a site-erected container or carton that is at least substantially formed from a folded and glued, knocked-down-flat blank made from an integral flat sheet.
• the end and side walls are simultaneously erected perpendicular to the bottom panel.
• the gusset panels are compressed and held by the folded-in extensions of the end panel, which holds the container in a rectilinear shape.
• the end walls are provided with registry tabs on a stacking ledge having a thickness equal to the number of material thickness that are provided in the outer wall panel, glued in the gusset joint, and folded over. In a preferred embodiment, five thicknesses of material are provided to reinforce the container .
• the container is supplied with substantially all its joints pre-attached but in a knocked-down-flat state.
• each of the four opposite side and end walls is provided with an opening spaced from the carton corners where such wall is integral with two adjacent walls. At least those walls where the gusset joints are folded flat have folded-in extensions of the end walls.
• Each of the openings preferably includes a reinforcing edge flap that is folded inwardly from the lower edge of the opening along at least one fold line, and locks into the bottom of the carton.
• the thickness of the associated wall is at least doubled at the point where the vertical extension of the wail is at a minimum due to the customer access opening.
• the comers are reinforced for vertical stacking and the whole carton is held in a rectilinear shape.
• an X-shaped divider can be coupled into the sidewalls adjacent to the reinforcing folded over panels.
• the container can be produced automatically using a fold-and-glue container production machine, for example as available from Bobst Group, Inc., 146 Harrison Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey 07068 (affiliated with Bobst, SA, Lausanne, CH).
• a fold-and-glue container production machine for example as available from Bobst Group, Inc., 146 Harrison Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey 07068 (affiliated with Bobst, SA, Lausanne, CH).
• Bobst Group, Inc. 146 Harrison Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey 07068 (affiliated with Bobst, SA, Lausanne, CH).
• Bobst Group, Inc. 146 Harrison Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey 07068 (affiliated with Bobst, SA, Lausanne, CH).
• the user need only fold the end panels into place, place and lock down the X-shaped internal divider by placing it and folding over the reinforcing panels, and fill the container.
• the container can be stacked, stored and
• a preferably one-piece fold- and-glue container with corners reinforced by extensions that fold over and compress self-erecting bellows or gusset corner joints, and cutouts in each of the four front, back and end walls.
• the corrugated paperboard panels of a single flat blank define a bottom, opposite front and back walls and longitudinally opposite end walls.
• the joints have bellows panels integral with the front, back and end walls, joined at folds oriented diagonally and being glued to one of the adjacent walls to pull one another perpendicular to the bottom when erected.
• the end walls have an outer end wall panel integrally extending from the bottom and joined adjacent to the front or back to an extension having a protruding tab at its free end for locking into the bottom when the extension is folded over the gusset joint.
• the cutout in each wall is spaced inwardly from opposite ends and extends only part way from a top edge to the bottom, leaving a lower wall portion adjacent to the bottom at which the material is doubled over and also locked to the bottom.
• the extensions can have two or more thicknesses of material folded laterally inward and glued against one another for added reinforcement.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an erected container according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a partial section view taken along line 2-2 in Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of an integral flat blank prior to being folded, glued, and erected to provide the container shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is a plan view of the integral flat blank of Fig. 3, showing the gluing and folding operations for forming the knocked down flat blank, the right side being shown folded and glued;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating erection of the container from the knocked down flat folded and glued blank
• Fig. 6 is a plan view of a four way divider section cut from an integral flat blank
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment in which the divider of Fig. 6 is fixed in the erected container of Fig. 1.
• FIGURE 1 shows a vertically reinforced stackable and self-erecting container 20 according to the invention, erected in a rectilinear state and ready for packing.
• Container 20 defines a rectilinear box including a front wall 22, back wall 24, and end walls 26, each extending perpendicularly upwardly from and integral with a one piece container bottom 28. Walls 22, 24, 26 are connected to container bottom 28 at right angle fold lines 32. Front wall 22, back wall 24 and end walls 26 have outer panels that extend integrally from bottom 28 across the fold lines 32 in a single thickness of material.
• Each of the front 22, back 24 and end walls 26 has a cutout 25, namely a relatively large opening in the respective wall provided for manual access, that is, to enable a person to reach into container 20 through the side or end and to remove or add contents.
• the cutouts 25 are each spaced inwardly from the opposite ends of the respective panel and from the four corners of the container, such that the side and end walls are of full height adjacent to the corners only.
• each cutout 25 extends only part way from the upper edge 33 of the respective wall to bottom 28, thereby leaving a lower wall section 27 of reduced height in the central area of each of the vertical walls.
• the lower wall sections 27 are each doubled in thickness by an inwardly folded reinforcing section 29 that is folded inwardly and has locking tabs 30 at the ends for engaging in corresponding locking tab openings in bottom 28, as explained more fully below.
• the full-height sections of the front and back walls 22, 24 adjacent to the comers are of a single thickness in the embodiment shown.
• the full- height sections of the end walls 26 adjacent to the corners are of plural thickness.
• Adjacent to the corners the end walls 26 have an outer wall panel 31 and an extension 33 that is integral with the outer wall panel 31. Extension 33 folds inwardly over two additional panels of a bellows or gusset joint 40 attaching the outer end wall panel 31 with the front 22 (or back 24) panel.
• a registration tab 35 is cut from the material and protrudes upwardly for engagement with a next container in a stack (not shown), and the extreme end of extension 33 has a locking tab 39 that engages an opening 36 in container bottom 28. These locking tabs 39 tend to maintain a vertical orientation of the end wall 26.
• Extension 33 can comprise two or more thicknesses of material, as also explained below. Referring to FIGURE 2, the result is a corner structure that has at least five thicknesses of material in a locking arrangement that compresses the corner joint and thus holds the container 20 in a rectilinear shape.
• the carton of the invention is die cut from a sheet of flat stock, in the configuration shown in FIGURE 3, all of the panels forming the bottom 28, front 22, rear 24, ends 26, etc. being integral portions of a single thickness of material and thus joined to one another at abutting edges where the material is folded. It will be appreciated that designations such as “top,” “bottom,” “front” and “rear,” etc. are used in this description for purposes of illustration and to distinguish the relative positions of particular walls and panels. The invention is not limited to any particular orientation of the panels.
• the lines 44 at which the material is folded are shown in FIGURE 3 by dashed lines that indicate longitudinally spaced short score lines or slot-shaped perforations extending part way through the corrugated material, and solid lines that indicate compression or crimping of the material along a line defining a fold.
• perforations, scoring and crimping all can be used to define a fold, crimping or scoring are preferred at certain locations that advantageously have a directional fold.
• Longitudinally spaced scoring extending through the corrugated material can be directional if the scoring is more extensive on one side (the outside radius) of the fold. Folds can be formed by these and similar known means that weaken the corrugated material along a line.
• the flat blank is arranged by folding and gluing operations to provide a knocked-down-flat ("KDF") blank 52.
• FIGURE 4 shows the configuration of the cut blank on the left and the KDF blank 52 on the right
• FIGURE 5 shows the KDF blank in initial stages of erection.
• the KDF blank can be provided to a packer in a compact collapsed arrangement and has structures that are attached to one another such that the container is raised into a rectilinear configuration when erected. According to an inventive aspect, these structures additionally are reinforced in a manner that provides vertical reinforcement for the end walls 26, holds the container in a rectilinear shape, and facilitates the registration of stacks of containers.
• the front wall 22, back wall 24 and end walls 26 generally comprise a single thickness of material having a cut out portion 25 extending from an upper edge 33 to the top edge of a lower wall panel section.
• Each of these cutouts 25 has a reinforcing foldover panel 60, namely front and rear foldover panels and an end foldover panels.
• the reinforcing foldover panels 60 have locking tabs 62 at their opposite ends, which engage in bottom 28 when the container 20 is erected.
• the foldover panels 60 improve the strength of the cutout wall panels against folding and kinking due to compression forces that are applied, for example, when the container is carrying a substantial weight and is supported exclusively under the bottom at the end walls.
• the container 20 is made self erecting by gusset joint or bellows panels 41 , 43 provided at each comer, at which the front (or rear) and the end wall are attached by gusset forming webs joined along a diagonal fold 50.
• the gusset joint panels 41, 43 are collinear with the front 22 (or rear 24) and are folded flat against the end wall 26 in the KDF configuration shown in FIGURE 4 (on the right).
• One of the two joint panels 41 abutting the diagonal fold 50 is glued to the outer end wall panel 31 and the other of the joint panels 43 is not glued.
• glued surfaces are represented by "XXX” figures and panels having glue on their back side are shown by broken "XXX" lines.
• the end walls 26 each comprise an exterior panel 31 and an exterior panel forming a longitudinal extension 33 of exterior panel 31.
• the extension 33 is arranged via two spaced fold lines to wrap downwardly and lock into bottom 28 after the end 26 and front/rear walls 22, 24 are erected. The spacing between these two fold lines defines the longitudinal thickness of a shelf or ledge 47 at the top of the end wall 26.
• the end wall 26 has a certain thickness in the longitudinal direction (i.e., parallel to the front or rear), stacking of the container with similar containers is facilitated by a die cut registration tab 35 formed at the ledge 47, namely at the fold line between the outer end wall panel 31 and the extension 33 thereof.
• the registration tab 35 protrudes upwardly when the extension is folded inward to lock in a locking tab opening 64 in bottom 28.
• this opening 64 in bottom 28 is wide enough to define a corresponding registration tab opening for receiving the registration tab 35 of a second container on which the container bottom is rested.
• the four registration tab openings in bottom 28 receive the registration tabs 35 at each comer of the container on which the subject container is stacked, thus holding stacked containers in a vertical registered stack.
• the registration tab 35 is formed in two thicknesses of material.
• the extension 33 of the outer end wall panel 31 in the cut blank as shown in FIGURE 4 has a lateral reinforcing panel 72 joined to the extension 33 along a longitudinal fold. As shown by the "XXX" glue symbols, the lateral reinforcing panel 33 is folded over and glued in coextensive abutting relationship with extension 33 in the KDF blank.
• the lateral reinforcing panel 72 On the distal side of extension 33, the lateral reinforcing panel 72 has an indentation 74 disposed adjacent to the locking tab 39 for locking extension 33 into bottom 28. This indentation 74 forms a part of the registration opening in bottom 28, providing room for a registration tab 35 of two thicknesses of material, plus locking tab 39.
• the registration opening forms a registration tab opening for the next stacked carton.
• the extension 33 forms an interior end wall panel at each comer of the erected container, shown in FIGURE 1.
• This interior panel comprises the extension 33 reinforced by the lateral reinforcing panel 72 glued thereto.
• the double thickness of the panel provides enhanced vertical stacking strength as compared to a single thickness panel.
• these two glued panels 33, 72 in conjunction with the outer end wall panel 31 also operate to confine the folded-flat gusset joint panels 41 , 43 discussed above.
• the end walls at each comer comprise at least five thicknesses of material, namely the outer end wall panel 31, the lateral reinforcing panel 74, two gusset panels 41 , 43 and the extension or inner end wall panel 33.
• each of the front, rear and end wall panels in the area of the cutouts are likewise structurally locked in place.
• Each end of the foldover reinforcing panels 60 has a protruding tab 62 that engages in a corresponding opening in bottom 28 and also supports the vertical walls of the container 20.
• the cutout portions 25 of the panels provide openings by which the contents of the container can be readily reached manually, namely by reaching through the cutout into the interior of the container. Cutouts as shown can be provided in one of the front, rear and end walls, in an opposed pair such as the front and rear only or the end walls only, etc. Preferably, all four walls 22, 24, 26 have cutouts. As a result, it is possible even when the containers are stacked to reach into the container for access to the contents from any exposed wall.
• FIGURES 6 and 7 shown an alternative embodiment in which the internal area of the carton or container is subdivided by a generally H-shaped iternal divider 80 that subdivides the area into four discrete sections.
• the divider can be a separate part that is not integral with the flat blank from which the remainder of the container was cut as shown in FIGURE 3.
• the divider 80 itself can be made integrally as shown in FIGURE 6, wherein fold lines are again represented by dashed lines, and in this case solid lines represent cut edges.
• the divider 80 has two central panels 82 that are folded against one another along a central longitudinal line 84 of abutment, thereby providing a central vertical supporting structure of two thicknesses as well as a structure that subdivides the front and rear internal areas of the container.
• the divider 80 has single thickness legs 88 that are folded at right angles from the central panels 82, and in pairs subdivide the front/rear areas from the end areas.
• the leg portions 88 of divider 80 are locked into the structure of the erected container.
• the extreme end of each of the legs comprises a mounting tab 85.
• the mounting tabs 85 are coupled to the remainder of the divider by right angle fold lines 87 such that the mounting tabs 85 are aligned when installed to reside against the front and rear wall panels 22, 24 of the container.
• the mounting tabs 85 extend slightly downwardly relative to the lower edges of the central divider panels 82 and the divider legs 88, which rest on the surface of bottom 28.
• the mounting tabs 85 are placed and dimensioned for insertion into the same locking tab openings in bottom 28 that receive the locking tabs 62 of reinforcing foldover portions 60 of front and rear wails 22,-24.
• the divider 80 is held in position by insertion of the mounting tabs 85 into the locking tab openings and also by capture of the mounting tabs 85 between the front and rear walls 22, 24 and the folded-over reinforcement panels 60 that are also locked into bottom 28.
• the end wails at each corner comprised five thicknesses of material.
• the corners can be six, seven or more thicknesses of material.
• the reinforcing panels can be glued in facial abutment with extension, or simply placed against extension.
• portions of the lateral reinforcing panels can be diverted at vertical fold lines to provide a combination of solid (facially abutting) and spaced or hollow supporting structures.
• the embodiments of the invention as shown are characterized by substantial vertical stacking strength, and resistance to deformation from rectilinear shape that is beyond what could be expected simply by multiplying the thicknesses of vertical structures provided. Nevertheless, the container is easily formed by die cutting the blank of FIGURE 3, processing the cut blank through a fold and glue machine such as those available from Bobst Group, Inc. of Roseland, New Jersey to apply adhesive and preliminarily fold over the required panels as shown in FIGURE 4, whereupon the container can be compactly shipped in its KDF configuration.
• the container is readily erected on site by simply raising the end walls 26 relative to bottom 28 (and/or raising the front/rear walls), tending also to raise the wails connected thereto by the gusset joints.
• the end wall extensions and the cutout reinforcing foldovers are then folded in and locked to bottom 28.
• the reinforcing foldovers for the front and rear can be folded over after placing an internal divider 80 as shown in connection with that particular embodiment.
• the container can be loaded with product, stacked and shipped, stored and presented to customers who can readily withdraw product from the container through the cutouts.
• the respective subdivided areas can be advantageously used, for example, to contain different flavors of a given product, to contain complementary types of products, or otherwise used to the advantage of the retailer and the convenience of the customer.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Stackable Containers (AREA)

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Citations (5)

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• 1999
  • 1999-05-07 EP EP99925576A patent/EP1192086A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-05-07 AU AU41830/99A patent/AU758444B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-05-07 IL IL14638099A patent/IL146380A0/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-05-07 CA CA002370327A patent/CA2370327C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-05-07 WO PCT/US1999/010018 patent/WO2000068098A1/en active IP Right Grant
• 2001
  • 2001-11-06 IL IL146380A patent/IL146380A/en unknown

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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