US3517875A

US3517875A - Foldable container

Info

Publication number: US3517875A
Application number: US730757A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold Donavon Wakefield
Original assignee: Coca Cola Co
Current assignee: Coca Cola Co
Priority date: 1968-05-21
Filing date: 1968-05-21
Publication date: 1970-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1987-06-30

Description

June 30, 1970 H. D. WAKEFIELD FOLDABLE CONTAINER zee zeo zes

zz l

ffl

f 24X 240ML ZIB ILCJE.

LIM

Filed May 21. 1968 June 30, 1970 H. n. WAKEFIELD FOLDBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Filed May 21. 1968 United States Patent O 3,517,875 FOLDABLE CONTAINER t Harold Donavon Wakefield, Houston, Tex., assiguor to The Coca-Cola Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 21, 1968, Ser. No. 730,757 Int. Cl. B65d 5/.08

U.S. Cl. 229-39 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foldable and unfoldable container for dispensing liquid, powdered, solid or semi-solid products to a user capable of at storage in folded state with consequent space saving prior to use and including generally parallel side and end panels all joined together end to end with transverse scoring between adjacent panels to facilitate ready manipulative movement of the panels into an unfolded open container forming condition for reception of dispensed products. The respective panels along their bottom edges are also provided with depending flaps likewise with scoring along said bottom edges, the flaps being interleaved to be normally between the folded together panels and unfold automatically to a transverse position when the panels are manipulated to open container forming position to form a closed bottom for the opened containerand being so shaped as to interlock at such time to retain the container in open condition. A collapsible leakproof liner also may be included which in the folded condition of the panels will be in collapsed state that will expand upon opening of the container to permit leak? without requiring transfer of such concentrates to a second container.

FIELD THE INVENTION This invention relates to a collapsible panelled container which can be shipped and stored in a flat or folded condition and for use can be readily manipulated to an open or unfolded condition and at the same time automatically provide a bottom for the opened container. The invention also relates to a collapsible container that can be used in `such condition kto store a concentrate therein and whichupon being manipulated to its open or unfolded conditioinwill permit introduction of an additive such as a diluent to the concentrate to condition the latter to useful state directly in the opened container.

Because of space considerations, storage and/or d ispensing, containers are generally shipped and stored in a at or folded condition rather than in their open or unfolded condition until their use is required. When it is desired to use the container for receivingproducts to be dispensed, e.g. at a soda or food counter, the folded con,

tainer is manipulated by the dispenser from its flat or folded condition to an open or unfolded condition after which the product may be placed in the opened container. For quickchange from folded to open condition, simple manipulation is required by the dispenser which automatically'will also provide la closed bottom thereforbe carried away 3,517,875 Patented June 30, 1970 ICC shipped and stored in folded or collapsed state to the ultimate user who is then required to unfold the container and condition the concentrate by an additive such as a diluent to render it capable of use. Examples of this are powdered coffee or tea, powdered milk, dried soup, dried food mixes, powdered glue, premixed concentrated paint, etc. Upon purchase, the user should be able to unseal the folded container package, open it to unfolded condition quickly and deposit required additive to the concentrate in the opened container without needing to transfer it to a larger container for such purposes.

With many prior art containers that have been used to store products for shipment and sale in flat or folded condition manipulation to an open or unfolded condition has required either placement of a separate closure member over the bottom end of the opened or unfolded container or the manually inter-engagement and locking of flaps connected as adjuncts to the container panels to provide a closed bottom for the opened container to insure that a product stored or to be dispensed in the open container would not spill from its otherwise open bottom end. This obviously has been a burdensome task and, moreover, has slowed dispensation at a counter to the user.

Similarly, heretofore, in particular with concentrated products, no matter whether such product was edible or inedible, frozen or solid, liquid or powder, the ultimate user after opening the container has had to transfer thev concentrate therefrom in its relatively small volume to a second container of much larger volume to permit mixing therewith of the required additive to achieve the desired useful product before mixing could be effected. The use of a second container by the ultimate user also is generally burdensome as it is time-consuming and also must be washed and cleaned after use. Often, too, a second container is not available.

It is thus apparent there is a need for a collapsible container that will automatically form a bottom as the container is manipulated from a at or folded and collapsed condition to an open or unfolded condition and that it will nd widespread use. Additionally, if such a container can, in the at or folded and collapsed condition, be used also to store a concentrate in a leakproof adjunct which latter upon manipulation to an open or unfolded condition of the container can provide a larger volume in the leakproof adjunct that will occur automatically and be supported by the container bottom that desired additive necessary for the desired and nal product can be introduced directly to the concentrate in the expanded adjunct in the original container. This will add to the desirability of the collapsible container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION automatically interengage witheach other to form a bot..`

tom closure for the opened container. n

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container that also can be used in flat, folded or collapsed condition to store a concentrate of a final product and which container upon manipulation at the site of use to an open or unfolded condition will also permit introduction into the container of a desired additive necessaryv to achievev the final product without requiring transfer of 3 the concentrate to a second container prior to such introduction of said additive.

Briefly, in a first embodiment of the present invention a four-side panelled container also has flaps extending from bottom edges of each of the panels. Each flap is either integral with or permanently fastened to an adjacent ap and normally lies folded against and between the panels. When the container is manipulated from its fiat folded or collapsed condition to the open or unfolded condition the said flaps automatically both extend transversely of the flaps and interengage with each other to form a closed bottom for the opened container.

In a second embodiment of the invention, a flexible, collapsible pouch or envelope with an open mouth has its lips attached to the side panels of the collapsed container which is otherwise like that of said -first embodiment of the invention. The collapsed pouch or envelope may contain a concentrate in a desired quantity even when within the collapsed container. When such container is manipulated to the open or unfolded condition the pouch or envelope volume Will expand automatically substantially to the inner volume of the opened container and also be supported by the flap-formed container bottom so that desired additive may be introduced and combined with the concentrate in the expanded pouch or envelope directly to achieve the finally desired product in the opened container without any need for transfer f the concentrate in the latter to a second container for mixing.

DESCRIPTION OF 'IHE DRAWINGS Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsed container embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4-6 show successive perspective views of the flaps of the container of FIGS. 1-3 in successive positions of movement as the collapsed container is opened to form a bottom for the container as the container is being manipulated from the folded, fiat or collapsed condition of FIGS. l and 2 to the open or unfolded condition of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 shows in perspective and in opened condition a second embodiment of a collapsible container embodying the present invention that may be used to condition an additive to a final product, the concentrate remaining in the same container after its opening and in which the concentrate has been stored and shipped;

FIG. 8 shows in section along line 8 8 of FIG. 7 the opened container into which an additive is being introduced for mixture with the initial concentrate stored in the said opened container;

FIG. 9 is a plan View of the blank for preparation of the container of both embodiments of the present invention, and

FIG. 10 shows in section the container of the second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character 10 denotes a folded or flat container according to the present invention. This container as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes joined

side panels

11 and 12 and

end panels

13 and 14, all made from a common blank B.

Transverse scoring lines

15, 16, 17 and 18 define the respective side and end panels. 'Ihe side panel 12 in addition includes a flap or tab 19 beyond the scoring line 18 which as seen in FIG. 3 can be adhered or otherwise secured internally to the end panel 14 when the panels are folded together along their respective score lines as seen in said FIG. 3 to form an endless band and tabular element along the respective scoring lines into closely collapsed condition or unfolded from that condition into an open parallelopiped as seen in FIG. 7, with

side panels

11 and 12 parallel to and spaced from each other and

end panels

13 and 14 likewise parallel to and spaced from each other.

Bottom forming flaps

20 and 21 of substantially like shape are integral with the bottom edges of each

side panel

11 and 12 being demarked therefrom by aligned

scoring lines

22 and 23 from respective side panels so that when the container is in the flat or folded condition as viewed in FIG. 2, these

flaps

20 and 21 are positioned in folded parallel relationship between the

container side panels

11 and 12. Likewise, the end panel 13 includes an integral bottom forming flap 24 demarked therefrom by a scoring line 25 aligned with

scoring lines

22 and 23, and the end panel 14 also includes `an integral bottom forming flap 26 demarked therefrom by a scoring line 27 also aligned with

scoring lines

22, 23 and 24. These

flaps

24 and 26 likewise lie positioned internally between the side panels when the container is in its flat or folded condition.

As seen in FIG. 9, the

respective flaps

20, 21, 24 and 26 are integral with their

respective panels

11, 12, 13 and 14 with the scoring or

fold lines

22, 23, 25 and 27 aligned and lying between each panel and its respective flap so that folding of the flaps thereon can be effected to allow the flaps to move relative to their respective panels.

As seen in FIG. 9, flap 21 includes wider portion 21A and narrower portion 21B separated by a recessed portion 21C. The wider portion 21A includes an edge 21E that is parallel to scoring line 23 and in extent is slightly less in length than one-half the length of fold line 23. An inwardly slanted side edge 21L extends from the intersection of scoring line 18 and fold line 23 toward edge 21E and joins it. The narrower portion 21B of less width than wider portion 21A includes edge 21N which is also parallel to scoring line 23. Side 21G of narrower portion 21B is generally perpendicular to edge 21N and meets with a slanted edge 21M which latter joins the intersection of

fold lines

23 and 17.

Edges

21E, 21K and 21N are all parallel to each other, the edge 21E being furthermost from fold line 23 with edge 21K closest of the three edges to fold line 23. Additionally of the flap portions defined by the three

edges

21E, 21K and 21N, portion 21B is narrower than widest portion 21A and the portion 21C of intermediate width lies between said widest and

narrowest portions

21A and 21B.

Flap 20 is substantially identical in configuration to flap 21 and those sides and portions on flap 20 that find counter parts in fiap 21 have the same lettering subscripts as those edges and portions of flap 21 except that they are prefaced by the reference 20 instead of 21. In liap 20, the portion 20B extends from recessed portion 20C to side edge 20Q which is substantially aligned with fold line 15. A scoring or fold line 20F extends diagonally across flap 20 from fold line 22 to edge 20K defining a triangular portion 20X (shown shaded) which as will be described is ultimately adhered to flap 26.

Flap 24 is seen to Ibe generally trapezoidal in shape with edge 24C parallel to scoring line 25 while edge 24B is aligned with fold line 17. Edge 24C is slightly shorter than scoring line 25 with edge 24H of flap 24 including an elongated slanted part and two short bevelled

end edge portions

24G and 24L at different ends of edge 24H. As can be seen in FIG. 9, edges 24L and 24G are `approximately parallel to each other but offset slightly and with edge 24C of flap 24 approximately the same distance from scoring line 2S as edge 21K of flap 21 is from fold line 23. A scoring or fold line 24P extends diagonally across liap 24 from fold line 25 to edge 24C defining a triangular portion 24X (shown shaded) which as will be described is ultimately adhered to flap 21.

Flap 26 is a six-sided figure with edge'26B parallel to fold line 27 and approximately the same distance from it as edge 20B of ap 20 is from fold line 22. Edge 26B is approximately one-half the length of fold line 27 and approximately perpendicular to edge 26C which extends almost the entire Iwidth of flap 26 and meets with a slanted edge 26K, the latter extending to the intersection of scoring line and fold line 27. As can be seen from FIG. 9, edge 26K is very small and thus edge 26C and scoring line 15 are nearly aligned. Edge 26D of fiap 26 is parallel to edge 26C and meets with a slanted edger26E which extends to fold line 27. The generally overall widths of aps and 21 in their

widest regions

20A and 21A are somewhat greater than one-half the width of

end panels

13 and 14 for purposes to be described.

When it is desired to assemble the blank B defined by the described panels and flaps as shown in FIG. 9 into a container that can be manipulated from a fiat or folded condition seen best in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, to an open or unfolded condition with the various flaps inter-engaging with each other to form a closing bottom for the unfolded container, the Iblank B is first folded along the

scorings

22, 23, 24 and 26 to bring the respective flaps inwardly of their panels. Additionally, fiaps 20 and 24 are both folded along their diagonal scorings 20F and 24P and the shaded triangular portions 20X and 24X of said respective aps are then movable foldably relative to the other portions thereof. The

panels

11, 12, 13 and 14 are then folded together along their

transverse scorings

15, 16, 17 and 18. Then the flap portion 24X which has been folded along scoring line 24P is glued or otherwise attached permanently to the underside (as viewed in FIG. 9) of flap 21 so that edge 24B of flap 24 lies adjacent fold line 23. Similarly, flap portion 20X which has been folded along scoring line 20P is glued or otherwise attached to the underside (as viewed in FIG. 9) of flap 26 so that side 20Q of flap 20 is adjacent to fold line 27. With each

fiap

24 and 26 now attached to an

adjacent fiap

21 or 20 as just described, tab 19 is now attached to the inside face of end panel 14 (FIG. 3). At this time, all four

flaps

20, 21, 24 and 26 will project upwardly and lie between the folded together

panels

11, 12, 13 and 14 of the container which then is inits folded or at condition (FIGS. 3 and 4).

When it is desired to open or unfold the assembled container 10, forces in direction of arrows X and Y are externally applied, for example, at the fold lines 15 and 17 of FIG. 3, so that each

end panel

13 and 14 will swivel parallelly relative to the other end panel, while each

side panel

11 and 12 will move laterally and parallel relative to the other side panel until the container is in the semi-open condition shown in FIG. 5. In this condition, all the

flaps

20, 21, 24 and 26 will have begun to rotate outwardly and downwardly on their

scorings

22, 23, and 27 towards the bottom of the container with

edges

21E and 21L of flap 21 above the widest portion` 20A of fiap 20 and widest portion 21A of flap 21 directly Yabove the portion 24X of

fiap

2,4 adjacent fold line 24P. Of course, section 20X of flap 20 (not seen in FIG. 5) will be beneath the underside of narrower portion 26B of flap 26 having been previously attached thereto. Scoring line 20P of ap 20 will then be beneath flap 26 as triangular portion 20X (not seen in FIG. 5) is attached to the underside of fiap 26. Edge 21L of flap 21 will be almost directly above

edges

26D and 26E of flap 26. Similarly, portion 20A of ap 20 will be above

edges

24H and 24L of flap 24. It is apparent from FIG. 5 that the corner formed by the intersection of

edges

24H and 24L serves to ensure that edge 20E of flap 20 will fall above narrower portion 21B of flap 21 as the fiaps unfold. In this Way, wider portion 20A of flap 20 will always easily and smoothly unfold on top of narrower portion 21B and recessed portion 21C of flap 20.

Continued application of forces along X and Y against scoring

lines

15 and 17 will cause

edges

21H and 211 of ap 21 and edge 20H and 20I of flap 20 to momentarily cross each other as seen in FIG. 6. As this is occurring a greater portion of the area of hap 24

adjacent edges

24H and 24L will be beneath widest portion 20A of flap 20 than is shown in FIG. 5. Similarly, narrower portion 21B Will overlie a greater portion of flap 24 adjacent fold 24P and the portion of ap 26 adjacent edge 26C will cover a greater portion of flap 20 adjacent fold line 20P than shown for both aps in FIG. 5. Additionally, widest portion 21A of flap 21 will cover a larger portion of flap 26

adjacent sides

26D and 26E than was previously covered."After

edges

21H, 211 and 20H, 201 have crossed each other, continued application of forces to fold

lines

15 and 17 will move the container to the fully open or unfolded condition shown in FIG. 6. Here, edges 201 and 211 will lie interlocked adjacent each other with Widest portion 20A of flap 20 overlying recessed portion 21C and narrower portion 21B of ap 21. Widest portion 20A of flap 20 will also cover the part of flap 24 that lies adjacent edges 24E and 24L. Similarly, portion 24X of flap 24 and the part of the flap adjacent to portion 24X will be beneath narrower portion 21B of flap 21. Widest portion 21A of flap 21 adjacent side 21L will cover the part of flap 26

adjacent edges

26D and 26E and, also, cover narrower portion 20B and recessed portion 20C of fiap 20. The part of flap 26 adjacent side 26C will cover portion 20X and adjacent parts of flap 20. Thus, the overlap of portion 21A of flap 21 relative to underlying portion 20B of flap 20 and similar overlap of portion 20A of ap 20 relative to portion 21B of flap 21 as well as the flap portions 20A and 24X which are secured to

respective flaps

21 and 26 as described above will stop further rotary movement of the flaps after they reach a substantially horizontal position perpendicular to the side and end panels, the four flaps over and underlapping then forming a closed bottom for the now-open container. An interlock in this condition is provided by the

edges

201 and 211, which were forced past each other during opening movement of the flaps thus preventing undesired collapse of the opened container.

Thus it can be readily seen that upon manipulation of the folded or flat container shown in FIG. 4 to the fully open or unfolded condition shown in FIG. 6, the flaps of the container will automatically interengage with and over and underlap each other to form a closed bottom for the container. Closure of the opened container can be effected, if desired, simply by applying forces along and externally at the

scorings

16 and 18.

For ordinary use, as a carrier for solids such as french fries or other solid food products, the dispenser or other counterman need simply remove a folded container 10 from a pile, apply opening forces to it at X and Y as described and introduce the solid product into the opened container and hand it to the purchaser. If a liquid product is to be dispensed, however, the container additionally may include a flexible pouch or envelope 60 of plastic,

flexible leakproof material, preferably inert to contentsy to be inserted and whose lips are secured suitably as by glueing to upper linear faces of the four panels and which envelope lines their interior. When the container is unfolded to open condition as described, the envelope liner 60 likewise unfolds so that liquid contents can be introduced into the opened container and retained therein.

The foldable container thus far described can also be modified further to serve as a convenient packaging device for concentrates such as powdered food and gelatin products that require mixture with an additive such as a diluent to condition them for use.

If it is desired to use such a modified container as a package to store and ship a concentrate in a compact folded condition which when the package is opened and when the container is manipulated as described to an open or unfolded condition will retain the concentrate and also provide means to receive the required additive such as a diluent necessary to condition it for final actual use, the second embodiment described is further modified in addition to inclusion of the flexible leakproof pouch or envelope 60 attached to the upper inside faces of the panels of the container. In the described folded condition of the container, the pouch 60 is in collapsed condition and also has a required amount of concentrate C deposited therein (FIG. 10) which, however, is of small volume and does not interfere with folding together of the container, panels and flaps. After insertion of the 1i11- ing, cover members 61 and `62 secured in place as by sealing tear strips 64 and 63 all are mounted over the ends of the folded container to seal the open ends thereof and prevent leakage of the concentrate filling C. This compact sealed container package 10 permits safe preservation, storage and shipment of compact packages. Thus, the container panels 11', 12', and end panels 13', etc. and aps 21', etc. in a folded or flat condition as described with respect to container 10 will carry therein the pouch `60' in a collapsed state in the uppermost portion of the folded container 10 as seen in FIG. 10. The concentrate C such as powdered coffee, tea or milk, frozen juice, paste or the like is filled into pouch 60'. The cover members 61 and 62 are releasably held in place over the top and bottom ends of the container =10' as by said tear strips 63 and 64 or by other conventional means.

When it is desired to condition the concentrate C to its useful state, the tear strips -63 and 64 and closures 61 and `62 are removed. The folded container 10' is then manipulated from its flat or folded condition in the same way as the first and second embodiments to the open or unfolded condition similar to that of the first embodiment seen in FIG. 7 with the flaps thereof forming a supporting bottom for the container 10 in the same Way as previously described. The bottom of the pouch -60 will be supported by the unfolded 4flaps and the additive A for the concentrate C then may be introduced into the pouch as seen in FIG. 8. This eliminates the burdensome task of having to ship and store the concentrate in one container, and, for conditioning, to transfer it to a larger volumed container when it is desired to put the concentrate C into use. The concentrates that may be packaged with this embodiment of the present invention can be either edible or inedible, frozen or solid, semi-solid, liquid or powder. Moreover, in the case, for example, of gelatin concentrates the opened package can even be used as a mold for shaping the edible product into an attractive form after introduction of the additive to the opened container.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and shown, variations in structural detail within the scope of the appended claims are possible and are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation to the exact abstract and disclosure herein presented.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved foldable container of the type having side panels and end panels joined with transverse first scoring lines between adjacent panels to permit their folding and unfoldingy first and second side flaps and first and second end aps foldably depending about g second scoring lines forming the bottom edges of their respective side and end panels, and a portion of each of two of said flaps being joinedvv respectively to each of the other two aps whereby opening movement of said side and end panels about said first scoring lines causes automatic unfolding of said flaps about said second scoring lines into a container bottom forming position, wherein the improvement comprises:

said lirst and second side flaps having substantially the sa-me configuration including a first extended portion of selected width, a second extended portion of lesser width and a recessed portion between said extended portions and said rst end flap being approximately trapezoidal in shape and having a first edge approximately parallel to said second scoring line, a second edge approximately perpendicular to and intersecting said second scoring line and said rst edge, and a diagonal scoring line therein extending from the intersection of the second edge with the second scoring line to a point on said first edge to form a` triangular folda'ble portion which is joined to the first side ap.

2. A foldable container in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first end ap comprises:

a third edge slanted from said second scoring line to meet said first edge so as to form a corner that, as the container is unfolded, will bear against the first extended portion of the second side flap whereby the first extended portion of the second side ap unfolds above the secondextended portion of the first said ap.

3. A foldable container in accordance with clairnl wherein said second end flap comprises:

first and second edges perpendicular to said second sco-ring line, v

a third edge parallel to the second scoring line and joining said first and second edges,

a fourth edge extending slantedly from one point on said second scoring line and intersecting said first edge, and

a fifth edge, longer than said fourth edge, extending slantedly from a second point on said second scoring line and intersecting said second edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,326,417 8/ 1943 Ullrich Q 229-39 2,396,168 3/ 1946 Finn. 2,914,237 11/ 1959 Malmad. 2,918,205 12/ 1959 Zeitter 229--39 X FOREIGN PATENTS 859,794 1/ 1961 Great Britain.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-41