NZ575791A - An indexable container formed from a blank with a single thickness indexing projection - Google Patents

Abstract

A stack indexable container formed from a blank 1, where the blank 1 has been cut from a sheet of a laminate which includes at least one corrugated core layer which defines a flute run direction, comprises a rectangular or square base 2 having four sides to its periphery, indexing walls upstanding from opposite sides of the base 2, and non-indexing walls upstanding from the remaining two sides of the base 2. Each indexing wall is derived from a flap sequence of two indexing wall flaps 6, 7 extending from its one of the two opposed sides of the base 2, with the first indexing wall flap 6 of each flap sequence being connected to the base 2 at a first fold line 4, the second indexing wall 7 of each flap sequence being connected to its associated first indexing wall flap 6 by a second fold line21 parallel to its the first fold line 4, and each indexing wall flap 6, 7 of each flap sequence having an extension flap 8, 10 at each end thereof beyond a fold line or curvature commencement extending substantially normal to the first and second fold lines. Each extension flap extends to a distal cut. The container has the second indexing wall flap 7 of each flap sequence inward of its associated first indexing wall flap 6 and one or both of the flap extensions at each end of that flap sequence is directly affixed by a region to, or adjacent to, its distal cut to a non-indexing wall flap. Above the transition between each associated first and second indexing wall flap of an indexing wall flap sequence in its erected indexing wall, there is defined at least one indexing projection 19 which has a single thickness of the blank material. The blanks have cut-outs 3 in the bottom, which provide stack indexable openings in the bottom in an erected container. This allows a container to be stack indexable by an identical container. The indexing projection(s) 19 of each indexing wall is derived from a cut-out from the material of its first indexing wall flap 6 and remains integral with, and in alignment with, the material of its second indexing wall flap 7. An extension flap of each second indexing wall flap, at least in part, triangulates (in a straight, curved and/or other manner) a corner directly or indirectly (i.e., via the other extension flap) to the non-indexing wall flap to define in conjunction with part of the first indexing wall flap at the corner and with part of the adjacent non-indexing wall (and optionally with part of the flap extension of the first indexing wall) a column like vertical load supporting structure. Each indexing projection 19 is flanked on either side in its indexing wall by a hinging transition 21 which involves the second fold line between a first indexing wall flap and a second indexing wall flap. Further from each hinging transition 21 and the indexing projection 19, the supporting cut edges of the laminate are upwardly exposed by both indexing wall flaps of each indexing wall. The cut edges are transverse to the flute run direction and are about and/or above the level of the hinging transition or transitions.

Description

Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 575791 Date: 24 March 2009 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AN INDEXABLE CONTAINER FORMED FROM A BLANK We, CARTER HOLT HARVEY LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 173 Captain Springs Road, Onehunga, 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: Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 The present invention relates to containers to be formed from a laminate which includes at least one corrugated core layer.

Containers in the form of erectable trays, cases or the like from one or more piece blanks are known for use in the packaging of goods. Frequently such containers are formed from a single blank cut from a sheet of a laminate which includes at least one corrugated core layer which defines a flute run direction. An example of such a material is a paperboard laminate which includes outer (usually kraft) paper liners having interposed adhesively therebetween a corrugated medium also of paper. Such corrugated medium can be of one or more contiguous layers.

Other forms of such materials may include two separated corrugated layers (each of one or more sheets of paper). For example a double cushion corrugated board is one having three substantially planar paper sheets, each adjacent pair of sheets having interposed therebetween a corrugated medium of one or more sheets of paper. Preferably such double cushion material has the flute run direction of each corrugated layer running parallel.

Such corrugated board materials with a flute run direction have a stacking strength capability greater where the flutes run vertically as opposed to horkontally. Various forms of container have been evolved to take advantage of such directionality of the material. Some make good use of the material in this respect such as our DEFOR™ product range (see New Zealand Patent Specification No. 270912) or the P84™ product form of IberoAmericana. Others may make less effective use of such directionality.

The present invention relates to an improved container of a kind where a blank of such a material is to be erected to a container form which is to have stack indexing capability. The present invention recognises an advantage to be derived from indexing one on top of another reliant for vertical support on an underlying cut edge transverse to the flute run direction. It is to deriving that advantage that the present invention has as an object.

The present invention in one aspect is directed to tray or container forms that are a variant of the aforementioned DEFOR™ product range or which are capable of being offered as a potential replacement therefore.

It is therefore another object of the present invention in respect of some aspects of the invention to provide blanks and containers erectable from such blank having novel aspects over aforementioned tray or container forms.

In a first aspect the present invention consists in a container formed from a blank, the blank itself having been cut (by any means) from a sheet of a laminate which includes at least one corrugated core layer which defines a flute run direction, said container comprising or including a rectangular or square base, Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 a flap sequence of two indexing wall flaps extending from each of two opposed sides of said base, the first indexing wall flap of each flap sequence being connected to the base at a first fold line, the second indexing wall of each flap sequence being connected to its associated first indexing wall flap at least by a second fold line parallel to its said first fold line, and each indexing wall flap of each flap sequence having an extension flap at each end thereof beyond a fold line (or curvature commencement) extending substantially normal to said first and second fold lines, each said extension flap extending to a distal cut, and a non indexing wall flap extending from each of the other two sides of said base, wherein said container has said second indexing wall flap of each flap sequence inwardly of its associated first indexing wall flap and one or both of the flap extensions at each end of that flap sequence is directly affixed by a region to, or adjacent to, its distal cut to a non indexing wall flap, and wherein, above a transition between each associated first and second indexing wall flap of an indexing wall flap sequence there is defined an indexing projection stack indexable, or a plurality of indexing projections each stack indexable, by an identical container reliant on a cutout, or cutouts, of the blank which, or each of which, in the erected container provides an accessible from below indexing opening or scallop; and wherein said indexing projection(s) of each indexing wall is or are at least largely derived from a cutout from the material of its first indexing wall flap and remaining integral with, and in alignment with, the material of its second indexing wall flap, and wherein, an extension flap of each second indexing wall flap, at least in part, triangulates (in a straight, curved and/or other manner) a corner directly or indirectly (ie, via the other extension flap) to the non indexing wall flap to define in conjunction with part of said first indexing wall flap at the corner and with part of the adjacent non-indexing wall (and optionally with part of the flap extension of the first indexing wall) a column like vertical load supporting structure, and wherein the or each indexing projection is flanked on either side in its indexing wall (i) by a hinging transition which involves said at least second fold line between a said first indexing wall flap and a second indexing wall flap, and (ii) further from each hinging transition and the indexing projection, there is upwardly exposed by both indexing wall flaps of each indexing wall load supporting cut edges of the laminate, such cut edges being transverse to the flute run direction and being about and/or above the level of the hinging transition (or transitions).

Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 The flanking of the or each indexing projection can be an immediate flanking or a close proximity flanking (eg. a millimetre or two of cutting does not mean is not flanked as required).

Preferably the extensions from each end of each first indexing wall flap is affixed directly to the inner surface of the upstanding non-indexing wall flap and the extension at each end of the associated second indexing wall flap triangulates and affixes to the extension of the first indexing wall flap.

In other preferred forms the extension of a first indexing wall flap can adhere from the outside to an upstanding non-indexing wall flap and the triangulating extension of the second indexing wall can be affixed directly to the inside of the upstanding non-indexing wall flap.

Preferably where there is more than one indexing wall projection per indexing wall.

Preferably load supporting cut edges are defined between each projection and in part at or towards a triangulated corner.

Preferably a said cut edge(s) (is) are also defined in part for each corner by one or two indexing wall flap extensions (whether in the triangulating flap or not).

Preferably each second indexing wall flap sits on a pre-crushed region of the base.

Preferably a scallop is interposed between each said hinging transition and a said cut edge pair.

In another aspect the invention is a stack indexable container of corrugated board having indexing lugs one thickness of the corrugated board insertable into base openings and a scallop of the inner thickness of a two thickness indexing wall of a like container in a stack. Each lug projects upwardly from the inner thickness only of its indexing wall. One of the thicknesses of the indexing walls, as a flap extension, triangulates and connects along with the other-thickness, as a flap extension of the indexing wall, directly or indirectly to the thickness of the non-indexed walls, thereby additionally to improve load capacity. Exposed transversely cut flute material flanks one side of integral hinging flanking immediately, or in close proximity, each indexing lug. The exposed flute extends beyond the indexing walls and all such exposed flute is immediately available for load bearing purposes.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a blank suitable for a container as aforesaid.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a blank substantially as hereinafter described with reference to of the accompanying drawings or any single indexing wall projection variant thereof.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in the use of blanks and/or containers in accordance with the present invention.

Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a stack of stack indexed containers as previously defined.

As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of'. When interpreting statements in this specification which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

It is intended that reference to a range of numbers disclosed herein (for example, 1 to 10) also incorporates reference to all rational numbers within that range (for example, 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 3.9, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9 and 10) and also any range of rational numbers within that range (for example, 2 to 8, 1.5 to 5.5 and 3.1 to 4.7).

The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference.

Figure 1 is one option for a blank in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 shows the erected blank of Figure 1 in perspective, this particular erection of the blank having the extensions from each second indexing wall flap truncating the respective comers and being directly attached by adhesive to the inside of the non-corner truncating extension of the respective first wall flap which on its outside is directly affixed by adhesive to the inside of the non-indexing wall flap, Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a preferred corner construction as shown in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a view in perspective from below of a container as shown in Figures 2 and 3 showing how cut outs in the base allow the indexing projections of the indexing walls to be received without requiring an incline of the side walls.

Forms of the present invention will now be described as options of the present invention with reference to a double cushion paperboard.

In the preferred form shown in the drawings the base 1 is rectangular and each longer side has two indexing projections on each indexing wall.

A preferred material can be single or double flute laminated board.

By way of example, as shown in Figure 3, an asymmetric flute form is shown where there is large flute between two sheets of paper (one a first liner) and a smaller flute form with Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 the same flute run direction between another sheet of paper to provide the other liner and one of the previously mentioned sheets of paper to sandwich between the corrugated media.

The preferred form as shown in Figures 1 through 4 has the non-sandwiching arrangement of the non-indexing wall flap at the end, ie, the extension of the first indexing wall flap only is directly affixed to the non-indexing wall flap and the triangulating extension of the second indexing wall flap is affixed to that extension.

Other forms however (ie, where the non indexing wall flap is sandwiched by the extensions) are equally in the scope of the present invention.

In the preferred form of the present invention the flute run is as shown in Figure 1.

There is defined a base panel 2 having two indexing openings 3.

Hinged at hinge line 4 are the indexing wall flaps sequences 5 which comprises the first indexing wall flap 6 and a second indexing wall flap 7. Each of these indexing wall flaps 6 and 7 has extensions at each end. The extensions at each end of the flap 6 are indicated as 8 and the triangulating extensions of the second indexing wall flap 7 are shown as a triangulating region 9 and an attachment region 10. These distinct regions 9 and 10 are defined by fold lines 11 and 12. The extension regions 8 are each defined by a fold line 13.

Upstanding from the base 2 on fold lines 14 are the non indexing wall flaps 15.

Preferably for venting of the erected container, preferably there are recessed regions 16 in each non-indexing wall flap 15. Likewise a cut out 18 to serve the same purpose for the indexing walls in an erect container.

The recesses 17 in the second indexing wall flaps 7 are to provide clearance for receipt of an indexing projection.

The indexing projection 19 in each case is defined by the cut that takes material that would otherwise be part of a flap 6. Flanking each such cut out 19 are hinges 20. Outwardly of each hinge 20 is a cut 21 to define, in the erected container, exposed transversely flute ready to bear weight.

As can be seen from the drawings, in the erect form, the non-indexing wall flap has affixed thereto the extension 8 of the indexing wall flap 6 and in turn that extension 8 has affixed thereto the region 10 of the triangulating extension 9. Any suitable adhesive for this purpose can be used whether a contact adhesive or a hot melt adhesive.

Shown upstanding and still in the plane of its integral panel 7 are the indexing projections 19.

Preferably the distal region has been subject to some pre-crushing to allow an easy insertion into and indexing opening 3 of a like panel for stack purposes.

Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 Shown in Figure 1 by the hatching is areas of preferred precrushing to make the erected container immediately able to bear weight through the flute medium.

Preferably the exposed flute carrying around into the extensions 8, 9 and 10 is at the same height as the exposed regions 21 so as to add to the vertical support.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate how the present invention offers alternatives to existing forms.

Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011

Claims (13)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A container formed from a blank, the blank itself having been derived (eg. cut) from a sheet of a laminate which includes at least one corrugated core layer which defines a flute run direction, said container comprising or including a rectangular or square base having four sides to its periphery, an indexing wall upstanding from opposite sides of the base, each derived from a flap sequence of two indexing wall flaps extending from its one of the two opposed sides of said base, the first indexing wall flap of each flap sequence being connected to the base at a first fold line, the second indexing wall of each flap sequence being connected to its associated first indexing wall flap at least by a second fold line parallel to its said first fold line, and each indexing wall flap of each flap sequence having an extension flap at each end thereof beyond a fold line or curvature commencement extending substantially normal to said first and second fold lines, each said extension flap extending to a distal cut, and remaining walls upstanding from the remaining two sides of the base and each involving a non indexing wall flap extending from its oneof the other two sides of said base, wherein said container has said second indexing wall flap of each flap sequence inwardly of its associated first indexing wall flap and one or both of the flap extensions at each end of that flap sequence is directly affixed by a region to, or adjacent to, its distal cut to a non indexing wall flap, and wherein, above a transition between each associated first and second indexing wall flap of an indexing wall flap sequence in its erected indexing wall, there is defined an indexing projection of one thickness of the blank material stack indexable, or a plurality of indexing projections, each stack indexable, by an identical container reliant on a cutout, or cutouts, of the blank which, or each of which, in the erected container provides an accessible from below indexing opening or scallop; and wherein said indexing projection(s) of each indexing wall is derived from a cutout from the material of its first indexing wall flap and remaining integral with, and in alignment with, the material of its second indexing wall flap, and wherein, an extension flap of each second indexing wall flap, at least in part, triangulates (in a straight, curved and/or other manner) a corner directly or indirectly (ie, via the other extension flap) to the non indexing wall flap to define in conjunction with part of said first indexing wall flap at the corner and with part of the adjacent non-indexing wall (and optionally with part of the flap extension of the first indexing wall) a column like vertical load supporting structure, Received at IPONZ on 1 December 2011 - 9 - and wherein the or each indexing projection is flanked on either side in its indexing wall (i) by a hinging transition which involves said at least second fold line between a said first indexing wall flap and a second indexing wall flap, and (ii) further from each hinging transition and the indexing projection, there is upwardly exposed by both indexing wall flaps of each indexing wall load supporting cut edges of the laminate, such cut edges being transverse to the flute run direction and being about and/or above the level of the hinging transition or transitions.

2. A container of claim 1 wherein the extensions from each end of each first indexing wall flap is affixed directly to the inner surface of the upstanding non-indexing wall flap and the extension at each end of the associated second indexing wall flap triangulates and affixes to the extension of the first indexing wall flap.

3. A container of claim 1 wherein the extension of a first indexing wall flap can adhere from the outside to an upstanding non-indexing wall flap and die triangulating extension of the second indexing wall can be affixed directly to the inside of the upstanding non-indexing wall flap.

4. A container of any one of the preceding claims where there is more than one indexing wall projection per indexing wall.

5. A container of any one of the preceding claims wherein load supporting cut edges are defined between each projection and in part at or towards a triangulated corner.

6. A container of claim 5 wherein a said cut edge(s)(is) are also defined in part for each corner by one or two indexing wall flap extensions, (whether in the triangulating flap or not).

7. A container of any one of the preceding claims wherein each second indexing wall flap sits on a pre-crushed region of the base.

8. A container of any one of the preceding claims wherein a scallop is interposed between each said hinging transition and a said cut edge pair.

9. A container with reference substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

10. A blank suitable for erection to provide a container of any one of the preceding claims.

11. A blank substantially as herein described with reference to of the accompanying drawings or any single indexing wall projection variant thereof.

12. The use of blanks of claim 10 or 11 and/or containers in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A stack of stack indexed containers being a stack of like containers, each being a container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.