Abstract:
The present invention includes and blank and container formed from cellulose based material configured to form an octagon shaped tray. The tray includes a roll-over side wall that provides structural rigidity as well as simple and fast container set-up. The octagon shape provides a relatively strong tray for the storage of products within. The tray may have solid walls, a single first side panel flap, or a pair of opposed first side panel flaps. The side panel flaps allow a user to see or access the contents of the tray as well as providing ventilation. Corner gussets provide additional structural integrity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to blanks and their resulting containers, and more specifically to the blanks and containers forming octagonal-shaped trays with rolled side panels. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0002]     Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a single piece container blank formed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a partially assembled container according to the present invention;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of a partially assembled container according to the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  is yet another perspective view of yet another partially assembled container according to an aspect of the invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  is yet another perspective view of a partially assembled container made in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0008]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an assembled container according to various aspects of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]     The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is directed to a blank  20  and a container  50  that utilizes an octagonal shape to impart strength and stability. One suitable embodiment of the blank  20  and container  50  constructed in accordance with aspects of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . Specific details of the blank  20  and the resulting container  50  are described in more particularity below.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a blank  20  used to form the container  50 . The blank  20  is typically constructed from a single piece of formable material such as, without limitation, sheets of cellulose-based materials formed from cellulose materials such as wood pulp, straw, cotton, bagasse or the like. Cellulose-based materials used in the present invention come in many forms, such as fiberboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard. The blank  20  is cut and scored, perforated or otherwise formed into a plurality of panels that when assembled form container  50 . In all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts. Additionally, cut lines are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines, and lines of perforation as broken lines. For the purposes of further description herein, the downward direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel  30  that corresponds to the outer surface of the first bottom panel  30  when the container  50  has been erected. The upward direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel  30  that corresponds to the inner surface of the bottom panel when the container  50  has been erected.  
         [0011]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the blank  20  includes a first side panel  22 . Attached to the first side panel  22  along a fold line  23  is a second bottom panel  30 . The second bottom panel  30  is substantially trapezoidal in shape and has a length measured in a direction parallel to a fold line  23  that is greater than the length of the first side panel  22  measured along the same fold line. The first side panel  22  is also attached with a first angled corner panel  26  along a fold line  21 . The plurality of first angled corner panels  26  are substantially rectangular in shape.  
         [0012]     Attached to the first angled corner panel  26 , opposite the first side panel  22 , is a second side panel  24 . The second side panel  24  is substantially rectangular in shape. The second side panel  24  is also attached with another first angled corner panel  26  opposite the first angled corner panel  26  that lies between the first side panel  22  and the second side panel  24 . The second side panel  24  is also attached with a first bottom panel  28  along a fold line  37 . The first bottom panel  28  is substantially rectangular in shape. Disposed through the first bottom panel  28  are slot(s)  44 .  
         [0013]     Attached to the second side panel  24 , opposite the first bottom panel  28 , are a pair of spaced-apart fold lines indicated by fold lines  31 . These spaced-apart fold lines  31  form a rolled corner panel  36  there between. Attached with the rolled corner panel  36  opposite the second side panel  24  is a second side panel flap  38 . The second side panel flap  38  has substantially the same geometry and size as the second side panel  24 . On an edge opposite the rolled corner panel  36 , the second side panel flap  38  has at least one locking tab  42  extending there from. The position and size of the locking tab  42  is configured to match the position and size of the slot  44  in the first bottom panel  28 .  
         [0014]     Disposed upon opposing ends of the second side panel flap  38  are second angled corner panels  40 . The second angled corner panels  40  are connected with the second side panel flap  38  along fold lines  33 . The second angled corner panels  40  are substantially rectangular in shape and sized similarly to the first angled corner panels  26 .  
         [0015]     One of the features of the present invention shall now be discussed. Specifically, the first side panels  22  may or may not include a first side panel flap  34  formed within the first side panel  22 . As depicted in the FIGURES, only one of the first side panels  22  includes the first side panel flap  34 . However, it will be understood that none of the first side panels  22  may include the first side panel flap  34  (not shown). Alternatively, both first side panels may include first side panel flaps  34  (not shown).  
         [0016]      FIGS. 2-6  depict various stages of the container  50  being erected from the blank  20 . Specifically, the various first side panels  22 , second side panels  24 , first bottom panels  28 , second bottom panels  30 , and first angled side panels  26  are folded over one another such that the two, singularly attached, first angled side panels  26  lay juxtaposed one another. At this time the first angled corner panels  26  that are juxtaposed to one another may be fastened together. Suitable nonlimited examples of methods of fastening the respective first angled corner panels  26  include mechanical and chemical binders. Suitable, nonlimiting examples of chemical binders include adhesives, glues, or tapes. Alternatively, suitable, nonlimiting examples of mechanical binders includes staples, brads and tacks. As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the panels, attached only at the respective first angled corner panels  26 , may be pushed relative to one another to form the general outline the erect container  50 .  
         [0017]     With specific reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the continued formation of the container  50  is shown. Specifically, the first bottom panels  28  may be folded inwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold lines  37 . Likewise, the second bottom panels  30  may be folded inwardly approximately 90 degrees along a fold line  21 . The status of the container formation with respect to this stage of formation is best depicted in  FIG. 4 . As can be seen, the bottom is substantially sealed off with the respective first bottom panels  28  and second bottom panels  30 . Also the footprint of the container  50  is substantially formed at this stage.  
         [0018]     With specific reference to  FIG. 5 , the final formation of the container  50  is depicted. Specifically, the second side panel flap  38  may be folded inwardly approximately 180 degrees along the two spaced-apart fold lines  31 . In this fashion, the rolled corner panel  36  lies in a substantially horizontal orientation along the top end of the container  50 . Upon folding the second side panel flap  38  inwardly approximately 180 degrees, the locking tabs  42  may be inserted into the slots  44  in the second side panels  28 . This will substantially lock the container in place. It will be noted that by folding the second side panel flap in such a manner that the second angled corner panels  40  now lie substantially traverse the corners of the container  50 , forming a substantially triangular shaped corner defined by the second angled corner panels  40 , the first angled corner panels  26  and that portion of the rolled corner panel  36 .  
         [0019]     At this point, depending upon the box design, this box is substantially formed. However, where the container  50  includes a first side panel flap  34 , the container  50  is not quite formed. Specifically, the first side panel flaps  34  may be folded downward inwardly approximately 180 degrees along a fold line  43 . The locking tabs  42  that are located on the outermost edge of the first side panel flap  34  may then be inserted into respective slots  44  in the second bottom panel  30 . It will be appreciated that, as discussed earlier, the first side panels  22  may not include a first side panel flaps  34  (not shown). Alternatively, both first side panels  22  may include a first side panel flap  34 . It will be appreciated that any necessary respective tabs  42  and slots  44  associated with the presence or absence of the first side panel flap(s)  34  will be included or omitted as necessary without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  depicts the formed container  50 . It will be appreciated that the cut-outs formed by the first side panel flap  34  allow for ventilation as well as viewing the product contained therein. Likewise the rolled corners on the end of the panels on the second side panels  24  provide stability to the container  50  and a self-locking feature for locking tabs  42  into slots  44 . Finally, the gusseted corners created by the first angled side panels  26  and the second angled side panels  40  provide for lateral stability as well as increase the overall stacking strength of the container  50 .  
         [0021]     While various embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the various embodiments; instead the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.