US3152744A

US3152744A - Twin-layered divider

Info

Publication number: US3152744A
Application number: US286971A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vrana George
Original assignee: Riegel Paper Corp
Current assignee: Riegel Paper Corp
Priority date: 1963-06-11
Filing date: 1963-06-11
Publication date: 1964-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1981-10-13

Description

Oct. 13, 1964 G, VRANA TWIN-LAYERED DIVIDER Filed June 11, 1963 ,|&

INVENTOR. GEORGE VRANA l WFW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,152,744 TWIN-LAYERED DIVIDER George Vrana, New York, N.Y., assignor to Riegel Paper Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 11, 1963, Ser. No. 286,971 Claims. (Cl. 229-) The present invention relates to dividers or separators for providing a plurality of compartments or cells in bags, cartons, envelopes, and the like, and more particularly to a twin-layered divider of greatly simplified, economical, and rigid construction.

It is often desirable in the packaging of cookies, pastries, and the like, to keep each of the packaged items separated to preserve the individual identity and shape of such contents. Moreover, it is frequently desired to package such items in more than one layer for enhancing their display.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a divider which provides a plurality of open compartments in twin layers disposed in a back-to-back relation to accommodate maximum display of the contents when overwrapped with a transparent bag or container. More specifically, the new and improved divider is erected quickly and easily from a U-shaped channel member and a pair of L- shaped, cell-forming members inserted therein, which U- shaped channel member is folded back upon itself to form twin, multiple-celled layers. The cell-forming members and the channel member cooperate in a unique manner to provide a simplified, rigid divider structure in which each of the cells has a bottom wall and at least two side walls.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for a special channel member embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a special cell-forming member embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially erected divider structure of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the special channel member partially folded back upon itself during the formation of the divider structure;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the special channel and cellforming members of a partially erected divider structure; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fully erected divider structure embodying the principles of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a channel blank 10, preferably made of paperboard or the like, is suitably cut and scored to provide a front web portion 11 hinged to a rear web portion 12 along a line of weakness 13, preferably formed from a series of cut and blind scores, as shown. A pair of

front flanges

14, 15 are articulated to the front web 11 along

score lines

16, 17 extending along the blank 10, while a pair of

rear flanges

18, 19 are articulated to the rear web 12 along the same score lines. The

flanges

14, 18 and 15, 19, are mutually separated by

cuts

20, 21, respectively, extending outwardly from the

score lines

16, 17 to the edges of the blank 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, a cut 22, extending from within the flange 14 into the flange 15, divides the front web portion 11 in half. A cut 23, extending substantially parallel to the cut 22 but intersecting it at both ends short of its termini, forms an elongated slot 24 in the front web and notches 25, 26 in the

front flanges

14, 15, respectively. Similarly, cuts 27, 28 form a slot 23 in the rear web portion 12 and

notches

30, 31 in the

rear flanges

18, 19, respectively.

With reference to FIG. 2 a blank 32 having rounded corners 32' is suitably cut and scored t0 define a separator panel 33 articulated to a bottom panel 34 along a score line 35. The separator panel includes Y-

notches

36, 37 spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the

web portions

11, 12. Advantageously, the width of the

flanges

14, 15, 18, 19 is equal to the width of the separator panel 33. The bottom panel 34 has a width equal to half the length of the

web portions

11, 12 and advantageously de fines at the free edge thereof a slight recess 38 having a length substantially equal to the width of the

web portions

11, 12. As will be understood, the aforementioned elements are appropriately dimensioned to provide ultimately a divider structure having twelve substantially square cells. However, the dimensions may be varied, as found to be necessary, to provide rectangular cells to accommodate the specific shape of any product being packaged.

The

notches

36, 37, 25, 26, 30, 31 described hereinabove are depicted with divergent entrance portions to facilitate their cooperative engagement. Further, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that an important feature of the notches is the provision of positive frictional engagement with the elements to be received in the notches.

Erection of a twelve-cell divider structure, having two layers of six cells each, may be simply and efliciently accomplished as follows: The

flanges

14, 15, 18, 19 of the blank 10 are folded in the same direction perpendicularly to the

web portions

11, 12 to form a U-shaped channel member 40, as shown in FIG. 3. The

notches

36, 37 of a pair of blanks 32 are then inserted into the

notches

25, 26, 30, 31, as illustrated in the drawing, and the bottom panels 34 are folded in the same direction toward and into an overlying relation with the front and

rear Web portions

11, 12.

In accordance with the invention, the U-shaped channel member 40, with the inserted and folded blanks 32, is then folded back upon itself, as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, toform an H-shaped channel member 41 (FIG. 6). The H-shaped channel member 41 clamps or sandwiches the bottom panels 34 between the front and

rear webs

11, 12, which may be joined together or to the panels 34 by an adhesive 42 or other suitable means. As will be appreciated, the recess 38 enables the

webs

11, 12 to be folded over the panels 34 without binding or tearing the hinge formed by the line of weakness 13.

The completed divider structure shown in FIG. 6 is of simplified and economical design, rigid, and otherwise advantageous. With the new and improved construction, the individual channel members and separator members are quickly and easily assembled and are mutually supported and strengthened. In the assembled divider, the flanges of the channel member 41 are supported by the

notches

36, 37 in the separator panels 33, while the bottom panels 34 are supported by the

web portions

11, 12 of the channel member.

The completed structure provides two layers having six separate compartments or cells, each of which cells has a bottom wall. Moreover, the new and improved divider structure disclosed hereinabove, may be fabricated efliciently and economically with minimum quantities of cardboard and a minimum number of parts.

The array of cells in twin layers enhances the display of the packaged contents, while utilizing, with maximum efliciency, both sides of the bottom panels of the cell-forming members to define bottom walls for each of the individual compartments. Moreover, the unique cooperation of the channel member and the cell-forming members provides a divider structure of neat appearance and substantial rigidity, which divider structure may be simply and economically produced.

The divider structure, having twelve cells, disclosed hereinabove has been described for purposes of illustration only, and it is "to be understood that a structure having a different number ofcells may be readily made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Thus, certain changes in details of construction and arrangement of elements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A multi-cellular divider unit for closed containers and the like, comprising (a) a channel member having a web and flanges extending therefrom,

(b) said channel member being formed from a paperboard blank cut and scored to define said web and said flanges,

(c) each of said flanges being bisected by a cut,

(d) a hinge dividing said web into front and rear portions,

(2) said web portions being folded upon one another along said hinge to form a channel member having an H-shaped cross section,

(f) said front and rear web portions defining divider slots extending thereacross,

(g) said slots extending beyond said web portions and into said flanges to define notches therein, and

(h) a pair of cell-forming members,

(1') each of said cell-forming members'being formed from a paperboard blank cut and scored to define a bottom panel and a separator panel,

(j) each of said cell-forming members being folded to have an L-shaped configuration,

(k) each of said separator panels defining a pair of spaced notches,

(l) the notches in said separator panel extending into and interlocking with the notches of said flanges,

(m) said separator panels cooperating with said flanges to form walls for multiple compartments,

(n) each of said bottom panels being folded into overlying relation with one of said web portions and being sandwiched between said upper and lower web structure, compris- (f) the spacing of said notches being substantially equal to the width of said webs,

(g) said notches of said separator panels frictionally engaging said flanges to hold said flanges in a fixed spaced relation,

(h) said bottom panels overlying said web and extending outwardly therefrom,

(i) said web portions holding said bottom panels therebetween,

(j) the inner surfaces of said flanges, said web portions and said separator panel forming a first plurality of compartments,

(k) the outer surfaces of said flanges, said separator panels and said bottom panels forming a second plurality of compartments.

3. The divider structure of claim 2, in which,

(a) said flanges define notch means cooperating with said separator panels,

(b) said web includes a hinge means defining said axis.

4. The divider structure of claim 2, which includes (a) means for maintaining said front and rear web portions in back-to-back relation.

5. A twin-layered, twelve-cell divider for bags and the like, comprising (a) a U-shaped channel member formed from a paperboard blank suitably cut and scored to provide a web and flanges,

(b) a hinge means dividingsaid web into front and rear web portions,

(0) cuts dividing said flanges into front and rear flanges,

(d) notch means dividing said front and rear flanges,

and

(e) a pair of cell-forming members, each of which is formed from a paperboard blank suitably cut and scored to provide a separato. panel articulated to a bottom panel,

( said separator panel defining a pair of notches therein,

(g) said notches engaging and holding said flanges,

(h) the inner surfaces of said flanges, said web portions and said separator panels forming four cells,

(i) the outer surfaces of said flanges, said separator panels and said bottom panels forming eight cells when said front and rear web portions are folded to sandwich said bottom panels therebetween,

(j) said formed cells being equally divided in twin layers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A MULTI-CELLULAR DIVIDER UNIT FOR CLOSED CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING (A) A CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING A WEB AND FLANGES EXTENDING THEREFROM, (B) SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING FORMED FROM A PAPERBOARD BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO DEFINE SAID WEB AND SAID FLANGES, (C) EACH OF SAID FLANGES BEING BISECTED BY A CUT, (D) A HINGE DIVIDING SAID WEB INTO FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS, (E) SAID WEB PORTIONS BEING FOLDED UPON ONE ANOTHER ALONG SAID HINGE TO FORM A CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING AN H-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, (F) SAID FRONT AND REAR WEB PORTIONS DEFINING DIVIDER SLOTS EXTENDING THEREACROSS, (G) SAID SLOTS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID WEB PORTIONS AND INTO SAID FLANGES TO DEFINE NOTCHES THEREIN, AND (H) A PAIR OF CELL-FORMING MEMBERS, (I) EACH OF SAID CELL-FORMING MEMBERS BEING FORMED