GB1565700A - Container made from a foldable blank of stiff material - Google Patents

Description

(54) CONTAINER MADE FROM A FOLDABLE BLANK OF STIFF MATERIAL (71) We, ASHTON CONTAINERS LIMITED, a British Company of Winterstoke Road, Bristol BS3 2LL, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a rectangular container made from a foldable blank of stiff material, e.g. corrugated or solid fibreboard, and also to the blank itself.

One object of the invention is to provide a stiff protective container for an article, e.g. a potted plant, which can be readily erected from a blank without any requirement for adhesive, stapling or like additional aids. In a preferred embodiment the container includes a carrying handle of generally D-shape formed integrally with it and constitutes a convenient "carry-home" pack.

According to the invention, a rectangular container made from a single folded blank of stiff material comprises a front wall and a rear wall hinged respectively to two opposing edges of a rectangular base panel, a pair of opposing side walls, and means for holding together the front, rear and side walls in their erected condition, which means comprise first flaps which are hinged to the front and rear walls and second flaps which are hinged to the side walls, the first flaps being folded to form upstanding portions which constitute a carrying handle and are held in facial contact with one another by the second flaps which are slotted and folded inwards over adjacent ends of the upstanding portions to interlock with them.

By way of example the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 shows a flat blank provided with fold lines for making into a stiff rectangular container, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the container partly made and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the completed container including a carrying handle.

Referring to Figure 1, a flat blank of stiff material e.g. corrugated fibreboard, is cut and provided with fold lines shown in chain line. The blank has a rectangular base panel 10, front and rear wall panels 11, 12 hinged (i.e. connected by fold lines) respectively to two opposing edges of the base panel 10, and two pairs of side wall panels 13, 14 hinged to the panels 11,12 respectively. The panels 13 support at one end substantially triangular flaps 15 provided with slots 16 and at their other end square flaps 17. The panels 14 support at one end substantially triangular flaps 15a provided with slots 16a. The front wall panel 11 hingedly supports a flap having inner and outer portions 18, 19 the latter being formed with a large tab 20 and a pair of marginal notches 21. An observation and ventilation slot 22 is formed in the panel 11.

The rear wall panel 12 hingedly supports a flap having inner and outer portions 1 ta, 1 9a the latter being formed with a slot 23 for receiving the tab 20 and with a pair of marginal notches 21a. The blank may be folded in the following manner to make the container.

Assuming for convenience that the base panel 10 is horizontal, the front wall panel 11 is folded upwards through 90" whilst simultaneously its two side wall panels 13 are folded inwards through 90" and their flaps 17 are folded firstly upwards to clear the bas panel 10 and then inwards to overlap the base panel. As shown in Figure 2 the base flaps 17 cooperate with the base panel 10 to provide a base of double thickness. At this stage an upright article, such as a potted plant, is placed on the base with its pot standing wholly on the base flaps 17. The rear panel 12 is now folded upwards through 90" and its panels 14 folded inwards to overlap the panels 13. The slots 16, 16a at each side are now in register with one another.

To hold together the front, rear and side panels in their erected condition, the inner apportions 18, 1 8a are folded downwards and inwards, the outer flap portions 19, 19a folding upwards relatively to their respective associated flap portions 19, 19a faciatly contact one another in a vertical plane and the tab 20 enters the slot 23. Finally, each pair of adjacent flaps 15, 15a is folded inwards over the adjacent ends of the upstanding portion 19, 19a to engage in the adjacent pair of aligned notches 21, 21a, the corner portions of the flap portions 19, 1 9a passing through the aligned slots 16, 16a. The resulting container erected around a potted plant is shown in Figure 3.

The projecting integral handle of generally D-shape constituted by the vertical flap portions 19, 19a, of two opposing flaps, the folded horizontal tab 20 and the slot 23 permits the container to be easily grasped by one hand and carried to its destination. The integrity of the handle is assisted by the lock ingofthepairs of flaps 15, 15a in the pairs of aligned notches 21, 21a and by the locking of the tab 20 in the slot 23. Thus the pairs of triangular flaps 15, 1 spa (the second flaps) interlock with the handle-forming flaps (the first flaps) to hold the latter together in their handle-forming position. The triangular flaps 15, 15a all lie within the plan profile of the container and so do not project laterally beyond the container walls.

In a modification the reinforcing base flaps 17 are interlocked by a tongue and slot connection.

It will be noted that the potted plant or other load for the container stands in a U-sling formed by the panels 11, 10, 12 of which panels 11, 12 carry the handle-forming flaps. When the loaded container is lifted by its handle the sling forms a strong supporting structure for the load. During erection of the container and afterwards, the weight of the load on the base flaps 17 helps to hold the side wall panels 13 in position.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A rectangular container made from a single folded blank of stiff material comprising a front wall and a rear wall hinged respectively to two opposing edges of a rectangular base panel, a pair of opposing side walls, and means for holding together the front, rear and side walls in their erected condition, which means comprise first flaps which are hinged to the front and rear walls and second flaps which are hinged to the side walls, the first flaps being folded to form upstanding portions which constitute a carrying handle and are held in facial contact with one another by the second flaps which are slotted and folded inwards over adjacent ends of the upstanding portions to interlock with them.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first flaps are notched to receive the second flaps.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the second flaps are triangular and lie within the plan profile of the container.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first flaps are slotted to provide a hand hole.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the side walls are provided by pairs of opposing side panels supported by the front and rear walls, the side panels of one pair being overlapped by the side panels of the other pair.

6. A container according to claim 5, wherein a pair of opposing side panels supports base flaps which overlap the base panel.

7. A container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A stiff blank for making the container of claim 1 which is shaped, slotted and provided with fold lines substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. panels in their erected condition, the inner apportions 18, 1 8a are folded downwards and inwards, the outer flap portions 19, 19a folding upwards relatively to their respective associated flap portions 19, 19a faciatly contact one another in a vertical plane and the tab 20 enters the slot 23. Finally, each pair of adjacent flaps 15, 15a is folded inwards over the adjacent ends of the upstanding portion 19, 19a to engage in the adjacent pair of aligned notches 21, 21a, the corner portions of the flap portions 19, 1 9a passing through the aligned slots 16, 16a. The resulting container erected around a potted plant is shown in Figure 3. The projecting integral handle of generally D-shape constituted by the vertical flap portions 19, 19a, of two opposing flaps, the folded horizontal tab 20 and the slot 23 permits the container to be easily grasped by one hand and carried to its destination. The integrity of the handle is assisted by the lock ingofthepairs of flaps 15, 15a in the pairs of aligned notches 21, 21a and by the locking of the tab 20 in the slot 23. Thus the pairs of triangular flaps 15, 1 spa (the second flaps) interlock with the handle-forming flaps (the first flaps) to hold the latter together in their handle-forming position. The triangular flaps 15, 15a all lie within the plan profile of the container and so do not project laterally beyond the container walls. In a modification the reinforcing base flaps 17 are interlocked by a tongue and slot connection. It will be noted that the potted plant or other load for the container stands in a U-sling formed by the panels 11, 10, 12 of which panels 11, 12 carry the handle-forming flaps. When the loaded container is lifted by its handle the sling forms a strong supporting structure for the load. During erection of the container and afterwards, the weight of the load on the base flaps 17 helps to hold the side wall panels 13 in position. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A rectangular container made from a single folded blank of stiff material comprising a front wall and a rear wall hinged respectively to two opposing edges of a rectangular base panel, a pair of opposing side walls, and means for holding together the front, rear and side walls in their erected condition, which means comprise first flaps which are hinged to the front and rear walls and second flaps which are hinged to the side walls, the first flaps being folded to form upstanding portions which constitute a carrying handle and are held in facial contact with one another by the second flaps which are slotted and folded inwards over adjacent ends of the upstanding portions to interlock with them.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first flaps are notched to receive the second flaps.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the second flaps are triangular and lie within the plan profile of the container.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first flaps are slotted to provide a hand hole.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the side walls are provided by pairs of opposing side panels supported by the front and rear walls, the side panels of one pair being overlapped by the side panels of the other pair.

6. A container according to claim 5, wherein a pair of opposing side panels supports base flaps which overlap the base panel.

7. A container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A stiff blank for making the container of claim 1 which is shaped, slotted and provided with fold lines substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.