NZ525194A - Recessed sidewall tray - Google Patents

Abstract

A container having at least a base and four walls erectable from one or more blank components, the container comprising at least one blank defining a substantially rectangular base, each of a first opposed pair of base peripheries of the rectangular base having an upstanding wall panel folded therefrom, at least one of the wall panels not hinging from and being disconnected from its base periphery adjacent each of two corners of the base, yet being held relative to the base by association of a flap of the or each wall panel into each proximate wall of each wall of the other opposed pair of base peripheries, the effect being to define a wall that has a substantially central recess (21) from its top to its fold from the base.

Description

525194 No: 525194/527577/528613 Date: 4 April 2003 Irtelfectual Property NEW ZEALAND UWce of NZ PATENTS ACT, 1953 t 7 Hfifi 2004 RECEIVED COMPLETE SPECIFICATION RECESSED SIDEWALL TRAY We, CARTER HOLT HARVEY LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 640 Great South Road, Manukau City, Auckland, New Zealand, 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: The present invention relates to containers preferably formed from sheet material such as a paperboard (e.g.; corrugated paperboard).

Containers of various forms have been formed from blanks of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard. Many examples have been provided with stack indexing features and typified by these are those marketed by us as our PLB™ trays and one variant of which is disclosed in US Patent 5,203,494.

The present invention however recognises that containers in the form of lidded or unlidded trays (preferably lidded) do have additional requirements as far as ventilation is concerned in a stack situation particularly where pallet carried stack columns are in close proximity owing to a differentiation in access by any contained produce to the gaseous environment outside of the containers in the stacks. This can have an affect on ripeness levels within a pack.

There is also a situation where there is a wish for better gaseous access to all the contents of trays in stacks for the purpose of fumigation.

It is to one or more of these situations or alternative purposes that containers in accordance with the present invention are directed. As an alternative it is a container or components of a container to provide the public at least with a useful choice.

In one aspect the present invention relates to a container (e.g. toy) erectable from one or more blank components wherein the container has a peripherally walled base of substantially a rectangular or square form save for some departure therefrom (and optionally of the wall(s) from the base) at one or more corner region(s) where there is an outward protrusion of a wall whereby like containers, when bought into a column stack relationship, column against column, will ensure a ventilation gap between such columns.

Preferably such a corner protrusion has a silhouette substantially that of the corner protrusion of a container shown in the accompanying drawings.

In another aspect the present invention relates to a container (e.g. tray) erectable from one or several blank components wherein the container has a substantially peripherally walled base yet has two pairs of opposed walls, one pair of walls being adapted for stack indexing and the other pair of walls, by virtue of protrusion thereof at each wall corner defines, a recessed wall in each instance.

Preferably the silhouette is as aforesaid. 100070379-1 In still another aspect the present invention consists in a container (e.g. tray) erectable from one or several blank components wherein the container has a substantially peripherally walled base yet has two pairs of opposed walls, one pair of walls being adapted for stack indexing and the other pair of walls, by virtue of protrusion and/or lapping thereof at each wall corner, defines a recessed wall (preferably having a lid flap) in each instance.

In still another aspect the present invention consists in a container (e.g. tray) erectable from one or several blank components wherein the container has a substantially peripherally walled base yet is stack indexable yet has one pair of opposed walls provided with a central recessed region (and preferably having a lid flap) whereby, in a stack indexing situation, adjacent stacks will have an air column there between.

In some forms a return from one wall extends as a flap about an end region of a said recessed wall. In other forms it can be a departure of the walls in a manner substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In another aspect the invention relates to a container (e.g. tray) erectable from one or more blank components wherein the container has a general rectangular foot print save for some departure therefrom at both corner regions of at least one wall (and preferably each of an opposed pair of walls) where there is an outward protrusion of the wall thereby, for such wall, recessing back to a wall panel upfolded from the base from the corner regions.

The corner regions preferably involve a panel out folded from the wall panel up folded from the base to a vertical or substantially vertical foldline from which an extension thereof engages back into the proximate wall.

Preferably said engagement of the out folded panel, of the corner region, engages back into the proximate wall by overlapping its interior surface.

Preferably said proximate wall is one reinforced by a blank provided component in addition to any upfold into that wall of a flap from the blank providing the wall or walls recessed back to a wall panel upfolded from the base.

Preferably the proximate walls each is of a stack indexing kind, i.e.; with at least one upwardly directed projection adapted to be indexed into a like container from below. 100070379-1 Preferably the coma- region does not include an upfold from the base and thus there is a prospect of some gap between the extent of the base defined by the base defining blank component and the corner protrusion.

In another aspect Hie invention relates to a container (e.g. tray) erectable from one or more blank components wherein the container has a general rectangular foot print save for some departure therefrom at each corner region where there is an outward protrusion of the ends of an opposed pair of walls from the hinge line of each wall from the base, such protrusion being of rectangular shape engaging interior to the meeting wall, the effect being to ensure each wall of the opposed pair is centrally recessed.

In another embodiment, the protrusion may be to an acute angled intersection of meeting walls, the effect being to ensure each wall of the opposed pair is centrally recessed.

Preferably the container is substantially symmetric in the sense that opposed walls each have at each corner a complementary mirror imaged form and each such wall of an opposed wall pair is matched by a mirror image opposed wall.

Preferably the other opposed wall pair is adapted to stack index.

In another aspect the present invention consists in a stackable container formed from one or more blanks (preferably at least one or more of them being of a corrugated board material) wherein there are two opposed pairs of walls (optionally with lid flaps from one opposed pair) and wherein two of the opposed walls, when considered with respect to their periphery from their bottom to their top, being substantially planar and upright in form and two of the other opposed walls, when likewise being considered, being upright in form yet being recessed between the corners.

Preferably the other opposed walls recess to a planar panel upfolded from the base.

Preferably the effect of the recessing of the recessed opposed pair of walls is as a consequence of a triangulation at the corner which extends outwardly to provide an outstanding corner feature, one at each corner thereby to provide the recess for the wall.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a container having a periphery substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. 100070379-1 In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a container of a form substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in the one or more blank components of a container of a kind substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings of by reference to any one or more of the blank components hereinafter described with reference to the drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of forming a container which comprises taking multiple blanks and by adhesion forming a container of any of the kinds in accordance with the present invention.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in the use of containers in accordance with the present invention in stacks that are adjacent each other, the adjacent stacks thereby providing an air column between the stack columns by virtue of the provision of matched recesses of containers in at least one of the stack columns.

Preferably said stack columns are provided on a pallet.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a container having at least a base and four walls erectable from one or more blank components, the container being characterised in that at least one blank defines a substantially rectangular base, and being further characterised in that each of a first opposed pair of base peripheries of said substantially rectangular base has an upstanding wall panel folded therefrom, and being further characterised in that at least one said wall panel does not hinge from, and is disconnected from, its said base periphery adjacent each of two corners of the base yet is held relative to the base by association of a flap of the or each wall panel into each proximate wall of each wall of the other opposed pair of peripheries of the base, the effect being to define a wall that has a substantially central recess from its top to its fold from the base.

Preferably, at least one said wall panel defines some gap or gaps between the extent of the base defined by the base defining blank component and the at least one said wall panel.

Preferably, the disconnection of said at least one said wall panel of said first opposed peripheries of the base allows for a projection from the plane of the central recess of the wall at an obtuse angle.

I jJL. k L * i •'' r it-— ii K Preferably, there is a disconnection for each of said wall panels of said first opposed peripheries of the base at all four corners.

Preferably, each said flap engages, as part of the other opposed pair of peripheries of the base, by lapping part of an upfolded panel of that wall.

Preferably, said other opposed pair of peripheries of the base are reinforced by a blank provided component.

Preferably, said other opposed pair of peripheries of the base is not centrally recessed and each such wall or wall and the base is indexable with like containers to make the container index stackable.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a container substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a first blank component (the "body") of a preferred pack in accordance with the present invention, Figure 1A is a first blank component (the "body") of an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a second and third blank component (the end wall reinforcing blanks) preferably for use in a container in accordance with the present invention, such a blank form being capable of being configured so as to complement a blank form as shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a lidded container in accordance with the present invention showing the opposed recessed sidewalls (preferably the longer walls) and showing the desired preferred silhouette at its periphery, Figure 4 is a base view of the container of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a view of the container of Figures 3 and 4 looking at the recessed sidewall, Figure 6 is a view of the container of Figures 3 to 5 but looking at the non recessed end wall in part formed by a body blank upfold and corner extension folds around on an end wall reinforcement component (optionally with a fumigation vent therein of a kind such as disclosed in New Zealand Patent Specification No. 521445/522880/523886), Figure 7 is a perspective view from above of a container as shown in Figures 3 through 6, Figure 8 shows the container of Figures 3 through 7 but with the two lid flaps hinged outwardly, i.e.; the container in an opened form, and Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 2 4 AUG 2005 Dcr>cit/cn Figure 9 shows adjacent containers defining with their adjacent recessed walls a ventilation gap.

In a preferred form of the present invention the container is as shown preferably having been formed from multiple blank components, namely, one body blank component as shown in Figure 1 and two components as shown in Figure 2 which, after pre-gluing together, can be used as end wall supporting members with a vertical flute run therein of the preferred flute material.

Preferably the blank of Figure 1 is a "C" flute material but preferably with the flute run in a direction shown by the double headed arrow thereby providing a vertical flute run in the sidewalls and reinforcing in part the vertical flute run of the Figure 2 component at each end with its corner fold around.

Reference herein to "sidewalls" and "end walls" whilst preferably referring to longer sidewalls than end walls can be interchanged and other constructions with no lidding or with lidding from one only wall or from another pair of walls can be contemplated.

Preferably however for best resistance to racking etc. lidding features that engage as shown as has hitherto been the case in the prior art PLB™ type trays is contemplated.

Figure 1 shows a rectangular base 1 having end wall flaps 2 hinging from the rectangular base 1 and optionally including fumigation vent feature 3 such as disclosed in our New Zealand Patent Specification Nos. 521445/522880/523886.

Hinging from the rectangular base 1 are sidewalls 4 each of which hinges distally into a hinging flap 5 which includes openings 6 adapted to co-act with indexing projections in a completed tray, such indexing projections being those indicated by reference 7 in Figure 7.

Hinged at hinge lines 8 from each sidewall flap 4 is a panel 9 which itself hinges at 10 to a flap 11. In one embodiment of the present invention as shown in figure 1, the flap 11 has a triangulated edge 12 adapted on assembly to mate with a triangulated edge 13 of the end wall flap 2. It can be seen that each of the flaps 11 and 22 quite apart from their respective triangulated edge 12 and 13, has a straight edge 14 and 15 respectively which allows the mating (as shown in the drawings) of flaps 11 in the same plane as the up folded end wall flap 2.

In another embodiment of the same invention as shown in figure 1A, the flap 11 is rectangular in shape and is designed on assembly to fold interior and overlapping of end wall flap 2.

The dimensions however of the panels 9, the spacing of the hinge lines 8 and 10 (optionally perforate for ease of assembly) is such that on folding to the footprint or plan Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. lh AUG 2005 profile as shown in Figures 4 and 3 respectively, a recess 21 is formed by virtually the whole length (preferably the whole length) of the panel 4 before angling outwardly at fold 8 into panel 9 and thence at fold 10 (providing the acute angle corner) into the fold around flap 11.

The component as shown in Figure 2 folds at 16 so that flap 17 in each instance adheres back against the panel from which it has been upfolded thereby to define a projection 7 from the panel 18.

The parts of the blank of Figure 2 designated as 19 are adhered back on to the panel 18 but preferably are not folded down thereto about the line 20 as it is more desirable to reveal an end cut of the flutes of the corrugated board material thereby better providing immediacy of load support on the pre-crushed shaded regions of the body blank of Figure 1 and in turn from container to container.

The load carrying support provided by the vertical flute run of the material of the blanks of Figure 2 is enhanced as far as load support is concerned by the vertical flute run at the corners of the recessed walls and in the recess of the recessed walls itself. Whilst there is a horizontal run of the upfolded flap 2 from the body blank and there is some vertical flute run of the fold around 11 it can be seen that there is sufficient tying together of important components for the purpose of load support, racking resistance and stack indexing.

It can be seen that the arrangement is such that exposed load carrying flute ends are revealed at each end of the sidewalls yet the end walls are not provided with a bulge nor a

Claims (8)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A container having at least a base and four walls erectable from one or more blank components, the container being characterised in that at least one blank defines a substantially rectangular base, and being further characterised in that each of a first opposed pair of base peripheries of said substantially rectangular base has an upstanding wall panel folded therefrom, and being further characterised in that at least one said wall panel does not hinge from, and is disconnected from, its said base periphery adjacent each of two corners of the base yet is held relative to the base by association of a flap of the or each wall panel into each proximate wall of each wall of the other opposed pair of peripheries of the base, the effect being to define a wall that has a substantially central recess from its top to its fold from the base.

2. A container of claim 1 wherein at least one said wall panel defines some gap or gaps between the extent of the base defined by the base defining blank component and the at least one said wall panel.

3. A container of claim 1 or 2 wherein the disconnection of said at least one said wall panel of said first opposed peripheries of the base allows for a projection from the plane of the central recess of the wall at an obtuse angle.

4. A container of any of the preceding claims wherein there is a disconnection for each of said wall panels of said first opposed peripheries of the base at all four comers.

5. A container of any of the preceding claims wherein each said flap engages, as part of the other opposed pair of peripheries of the base, by lapping part of an upfolded panel of that wall.

6. A container of any of the preceding claims wherein said other opposed pair of peripheries of the base are reinforced by a blank provided component.

7. A container of any of the preceding claims wherein said other opposed pair of peripheries of the base is not centrally recessed and each such wall or wall and the base is indexable with like containers to make the container index stackable. j " >■ ' " " -r _ k U ./

8. -10- A container of a kind substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 21 AUG 2005 RECEIVED