US3757991A

US3757991A - Article carrier

Info

Publication number: US3757991A
Application number: US00255391A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Stout
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1972-05-22
Filing date: 1972-05-22
Publication date: 1973-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-11

Abstract

A basket-style article arrier having a bottom wall, side walls foldably joined along their bottom edges to opposite side edges of the bottom wall, end walls foldably joined to the end edges of the side walls, riser panels foldably joined to the end walls medially thereof, a handle panel secured at its ends to the upper portions of the riser panels, and partition structure interconnected between the handle and the side walls is provided with stabilizing structure for insuring that the carrier is squarely set up to facilitate loading, such structure including a fold line which is bifurcated at one end and which interconnects the bottom edge of each side wall with the corresponding side edge of the bottom wall together with a specially constructed locking notch and an associated closure flap formed in the riser panels at the end of the carrier opposite from the bifurcated portion of the fold line between the side walls and the bottom wall.

Description

States ate Sept. 11, 1973 [73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation, Dayton,

Ohio

{22] Filed: May 22,1972

21 Appl. No.: 255,391

[52] US. Cl. 220/113, 220/115, 229/41 R, 229/41 B [51] Int. Cl B65d 75/00 [58] Field of Search ..220/113,110,1ll, 220/l12,114,115;229/41R, 41 B, 28 BC, 52 BC [56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,572,542 3/1971 Wood et al.' 220/113 X 3,148,769 9/1964 Bryant 220/41 R X 2,572,610 10/1951 Gilbert 229/41 B X 2,368,203 1/1945 Crane 229/52 BC 2,345,565 4/1944 Arneson 220/114 Primary ExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Assistant ExaminerStephen P. Garbe Attorney-Walter M. Rodgers [57] ABSTRACT A basket-style article arrier having a bottom wall, side walls foldably joined along their bottom edges to opposite side edges of the bottom wall, end walls foldably joined to the end edges of the'side walls, riser panels foldably joined to the end walls medially thereof, a handle panel secured at its ends to the upper portions of the riser panels, and partition structure interconnected between the handle and the side walls is provided with stabilizing structure for insuring that the carrier is squarely set up to facilitate loading, such structure including a fold line which is bifurcated at one end and which interconnects the bottom edge of each side wall with-the corresponding side edge of thebottom wall together with a specially constructed locking notch and an associated closure flap formed in the riser panels at the end of the carrier opposite from the bifurcated portion of the fold line between the side walls and the bottom 'wall.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Sephll, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept. 11, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ARTICLE CARRIER Conventional basket-style article carriers usually are provided at one end with structure for interlocking one end edge of the bottom wall with the lower portion of the riser panels. Ordinarily no provision is made for interlocking the opposite end edge of the bottom wall with the adjacent riser panels so that such end of the bottom wall tends to bow downwardly. For this reason a set-up article carrier is basically unstable and conventional drop-loading operations frequently fail to load the carrier.

Basket-style article carriers constructed according to one fonn of this invention are rendered stable and in-' clude a fold line between the bottom edge of each side wall and the adjacent side edge of the bottom wall which is bifurcated at one end to define a generally triangular web panel to facilitate folding the bottom wall into a normal position relative to the side walls whereby the downward bowing of the bottom wall at the end thereof adjacent the aforementioned web panel is prevented while the opposite end of the bottom wall is bowed upwardly somewhat by means of an interlock including a locking notch in the adjacent riser panels which engages the end edge of the bottom wall. In order to provide adequate protection for the bottom portions of articles adjacent the locking notch, a closure flap is associated with the riser panels and follow ing loading of the carrier this flap closes the locking notch formed in the riser panels thus affording protection for and separation between the adjacent articles on opposite sides of the handle of the carrier.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. I is a perspective view of an article carrier formed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier of FIG. 1 is formed;

'FIG. 3 depicts an intermediate stage of folding of the blank of FIG. 2 and in which FIG. 4 represents the final complete collapsed carrier which may be set up to form the structure as shown in FIG. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a side wall to the end edges of which

end wall panels

2 and 3 are foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively. A glue flap 6 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of side wall 1 along a fold line 7 which as shown in FIG. 1 is a single fold line at the lefthand end thereof but which is bifurcated as indicated at 8 and 9 to define a web panel 10 in accordance with one facet of the invention. A riser panel 11 is foldably joined to end wall panel 2 along fold line 12 and is provided with a locking notch 13. A similar riser panel 14 is foldably joined to end wall panel 3 along fold line 15 and is provided with a locking notch l6.

The handle structure for the carrier comprises an outer handle panel 17 foldably joined to riser panel 14 along fold line 15 together with an outer handle panel I8 foldably joined to outer handle panel 17 along medial fold line 19. Hand gripping aperture 20 is formed in handle panel 17 and a similar hand gripping aperture 21 is formed in handle panel 18 and when the carrier is set up is disposed in coincidental relationship with the aperture 20 as is well known. Reinforcing panel 22 is foldably joined to handle panel 17 along fold line 23 and to reinforcing panel 24 along medial fold line 25.

2 Reinforcing panel 24 is foldably joined to outer handle panel 18 along fold line 26.

Apertures

27 and 28 are formed respectively in reinforcing

panels

22 and 24 and coincide with

hand gripping apertures

20 and 21 respectively as is well known when the carrier is set up.

Partition structure between the handle structure and side wall 1 comprises a partition strap 29 which is foldably joined to side wall 1 along fold line 30 and to handle panel 17 along fold line 31 together with partition strap 32 which is foldably joined to handle panel 1 along fold line 33 and to handle panel 17 along fold line 34.

On the other side of the handle similar structure to that described above is provided and includes riser panel 35 which is foldably joined at its upper edge to riser panel 11 along a fold line 36 and which is joined along fold line 37 to end wall panel 38. Side wall 39 is foldably joined to end wall panel 38 along fold line 40 and to end wall panel 41 along fold line 42. Riser panel 43 is foldably joined to end wall panel 41 along fold line 44 and to outer handle panel 18 along the same fold line. A locking notch 45 is formed in riser panel 35 and is normally closed by a closure flap 46 foldably joined to riser panel 35 along fold line 47. A locking notch 48 is formed in riser panel 43. When the carrier is set up locking notch 13 coincides with locking notch 45 and locking notch 16 coincides with locking notch 48 as is well known.

The bottom wall of the carrier is designated by the numeral 49 and is provided with a medial fold line 50 at the ends of which locking

notches

51 and 52 are formed.

According to one form of the invention, the bottom edge of side wall 39 is interconnected with a. side edge of bottom wall 49 by a fold line 53 which at its left hand end as viewed in FIG. 2 comprises a single fold line and which is bifurcated at its right hand end as indicated by

fold lines

54 and 55 which define therebetween a generally triangular web panel designated by the numeral 56. Y

Parition structure between the handle and side wall 39 comprises a partition strap 57 foldably joined to side wall 39 along fold line 58 and to handle panel 18 along fold line 59 together with partition strap 60 foldably joined to side wall 39 along fold line 61 and to handle panel 18 along fold line 62.

The folding operations through which the blank of FIG. 2 is manipulated into the completed collapsed condition depicted in FIG. 4 are shown and described in detail in US. Pat. No. 3,349,957. For purposes of clarity and simplicity the various folding and gluing operations are described specifically in conjunction with FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it being understood that FIG. 3 simply represents an intermediate condition and in a practical sense may depict more than one folding operation through which the blank of FIG. 2 is manipulated.

In order to form the carrier, an application of glue is made initially to the interior or upper surfaces of

handle panels

17 and 18 as indicated by stippling in FIG. 2 following which glue application, the reinforcing

panels

22 and 24 are elevated and folded toward the right along

fold lines

23 and 26 to occupy positions of flat face contacting relation with the

outer handle panels

17 and 18, in which positions the aperture 27 coincides with aperture 20 and aperture28 coincides with aperture 21. Following this folding operation, glue is applied to

riser panels

11 and 35 as indicated by stippling and

end wall panels

2 and 38 are elevated and folded toward the right along fold lines 4 and 40 respectively to cause the stippled portions of

riser panels

11 and 35 to adhere to the left hand inner end portions of

outer handle panels

17 and 18 and to the left hand portions of reinforcing

panels

22 and 24. Subsequently glue is applied to riser panels 14 and 43 as indicated by stippling and riser panels 14 and 43 are elevated and folded toward the left along

fold lines

15 and 44 respectively to cause the stippled portions of these riser panels to adhere to the inner surfaces of the right hand portions of

outer panels

17 and 18. Following the folding and gluing operations as described, the blank appears as shown in FIG. 3.

With the blank in the condition depicted in FIG. 3, an application of glue is made to the

riser panels

11, 35, 14, 43 and to the reinforcing

panels

22 and 24 and to the exposed inner surface portions of

outer handle panels

17 and 18 as well as to glue flap 6 and, if desired, to an edge of bottom wall panel 49 as indicated by stippling in FIG. 3. Following this application .of glue, side wall 1 and all portions of the blank above the

fold lines

36, 25 and 19 are elevated and folded forwardly to occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 4. This operation of course causes riser panel 11 to adhere in face contacting relation to riser panel 35 and also causes riser panel 14 to adhere in face contacting relation to riser panel 43. Reinforcing panel 22 is secured to reinforcing panel 24 while the exposed portions of outer handle panel 17 become adhered to exposed portions of outer handle panel 18. Simultaneously glue flap 6 becomes adhered to an edge of bottom wall 49, and the carrier is complete and in collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 4.

In order to set the carrier up, the

side walls

1 and 39 are secured against movement toward the left as viewed in FIG. 4 and a force is applied to the right hand or medial inner edges of

end wall panels

3 and 41. This operation forces the

side walls

1 and 39 apart and causes the

end wall panels

3 and 41 to occupy a single plane as shown 'in FIG. 1. Similarly

end wall panels

2 and 38 are forced into a common plane at the other end of the carrier while the bottom wall 49 is caused to assume a generally planar condition.-

The mid portion of the bottom wall 49 adjacent the notch 52 is not bowed downwardly because according to the invention the fold lines 9 and 8 accommodate folding of the bottom wall 49 into a planar condition without unduly stressing the material along fold lines 8 and 9. Stated otherwise setting up the carrier causes the web panel 10 to fold approximately 45 out of the plane of side wall 1 along fold line 9. Web panel 10 also occupies a position approximately 45' out of the plane of bottom wall 49 and such angular folding operations along fold lines 8 and 9 can be effected even though high quality relatively strong paper board is used in constructing the carrier and without rupturing the indi vidual fibers along fold lines 8 and 9 because unlike the left hand portion of fold line 53 which must fold through an angle greater than 90, the right hand end of bottom wall 49 can assume a planar condition so that the comer of the carrier immediately below and coinciding with fold line rests squarely on a supporting surface asis indicated in FIG. 1. Simultaneously web panel 56 functions as does web panel and the corner underneath fold line 42 rests squarely on the support surface.

Viewed in another light and as is apparent in FIG. 1, fold line 8 is an approximate straight line continuation in the horizontal plane of the single fold line 7 due to the fact that web panel 10 is folded inwardly and out of the plane of side wall 1. In like fashion fold line 54 is virtually a straight continuation in the horizontal plane of fold line 53. Thus as is obvious from FIG. 1 the corners of the carrier generally underneath the

fold lines

5 and 42 rest squarely on a supporting surface.

It is apparent from FIG. 2 that locking notch 45 and locking notch 13 are elevated above the

bottom edges

53 and 7 respectively by a distance somewhat greater than that which separates the

locking notches

48 and 16 from

edges

53 and 7 respectively. This slightly elevated relationship of locking notches l3 and 45 results in an upward bowing of the left hand edge of bottom wall 49 to an extent greater than normal. This upward bowing operation of course prevents any contact of the left hand portion of bottom wall 49 as viewed in FIG. 2 with a supporting surface so that the comers of the carrier immediately below fold lines 4 and 40 rest squarely on the supporting surface.

Setting up of the carrier results in the engagement of locking notch 51 with the

composite locking notch

13, 45 in a conventional fashion and simultaneously brushes closure flap 46 to one side-according to a feature of the invention so that when the carrier is set up and into the condition depicted in FIG. 1 and before loading of the carrier, the closure flap 46 is disposed at an angle to the riser panel 35 and closure flap 46 is held in this position by the adjacent contacting portion of bottom wall 49. When the carrier is loaded as by a drop-loading operation from above, the loaded articles force the bottom wall 49 downwardly somewhat and cause the locking notch 51 to disengage

composite locking notch

13, 45. When this occurs closure flap 46 is brushed downwardly into substantial coincidence with the plane of riser panel 35. When disposed in the same plane as riser panel 35 closure flap 46 serves to separate the article disposed between end wall panel 2 and partition strap 29 from the article on the other side of the handle whichis disposed between end wall panel 38 and partition strap 57.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An article carrier comprising a handle, a pair of riser panels arranged in flat face contacting relation to each other and secured to each end of said handle, an end wall panel foldably joined along the inner edge thereof to the outer edge of each of said riser panels, a pair of side walls each foldably joined along each of the end edges thereof to the outer edge of one of said end wall panels, and a bottom wall foldably joined along its side edges to the bottom edges of said side walls respectively along fold lines each of which comprises a single fold line extending from one end of the carrier toward the other end thereof and which is bifurcated to define a web panel foldably joined to each side wall and to said bottom wall at the other end of the carrier.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein said bottom wall is interlocked with said riser panels at said one end of the carrier.

3. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein a closure flap is foldably joined to at least one of said riser panels at said one end of the carrier and wherein said closure flap is folded out of the plane of said one riser panel to expose a locking notch engageable by said bottom wall when the carrier is set up.

4. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein said closure flap automatically covers said locking notch when the carrier is loaded thereby to aid in separating articles at said one end of the carrier and disposed on opposite sides of said handle from each other.

5. In an article carrier having a handle, a pair of riser panels arranged in flat face contacting relation to each other and secured to each end of said handle, an end wall panel foldably joined along the inner edge thereof to the outer edge of each of said riser panels, a pair of side walls each foldably joined along each of the end edges thereof to the outer edge of one of said end wall panels, and a bottom wall foldably joined along its side edges to the bottom edges of said side walls respectively, the improvement comprising a closure flap foldably joined to at least one of said riser panels at one end of the carrier and foldable out of the plane of said one riser panel to expose a locking notch engageable by said bottom wall when the carrier is set up and effective to close said notch when the carrier is loaded.

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