Abstract:
A drain pan assembly for receiving liquids from air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers comprising a blank having peripheral edges, base forming fold lines, and corner piece forming fold lines, wherein at least two corner piece forming fold lines and a portion of the peripheral edges, form each corner piece. The corner piece further comprises a diagonal corner fold line. Folding each corner piece along each diagonal corner fold line forms corner flaps. Each corner flap is bent about each of the corner piece forming fold lines to dispose the corner piece forming fold lines adjacent to each other and the diagonal corner fold lines adjacent to a surface of each peripheral wall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
   Not applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to drain pans for receiving and retaining liquids from air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and the like and more particularly to stackable drain pans having peripheral tapered walls. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   There are many types of containers for collecting liquids from appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers. Typically, the containers are made of a malleable material and are shaped and sized to fit these particular appliances. The drain pans for air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers are usually square or rectangularly shaped to accommodate each appliance shape. 
   A problem with square or rectangular shaped drain pans is that the corners often leak around the seams. Further, the shipping and handling costs of a package having multiple drain pans are significant since the drain pans typically have perpendicular walls and therefore, are not nestable. Storing multiple drain pans is also expensive and cumbersome as it requires large amounts of space. 
   Additionally, square or rectangular shaped drain pans made of metal often have sharp peripheral wall edges and/or corners. Therefore, it is easy for one to cut their hands when handling the drain pan. 
   Therefore, the need exists for a drain pan that is seamless so as to reduce leakage. Further, a drain pan that is inexpensive to ship and store is needed. Thus, a need exists for drain pans that can stack one atop the other, wherein the peripheral tapered walls of a first drain pan are substantially contained within the peripheral tapered walls of a second drain pan such that the first drain pan nests within the second drain pan. This nesting provides a less voluminous stack of drain pans for shipping and storing. Additionally, the need exists or a drain pan with hemmed edges to reduce exposed single thickness edges which can injure a user when handling the drain pan. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a stackable drain pan for air conditioners refrigerators, freezers, and the like in one configuration, the drain pan comprises a base, at least four peripheral walls that are tapered and four corners, each corner includes a corner flap folded so that the flap overlies an adjacent surface of a peripheral tapered wall. The peripheral edge of each wall further comprises a hem forming a rounded exposed edge. A plurality of drain pans can be stacked) wherein a substantial substantial portion of the peripheral tapered walls of a second drain pan. 
   The drain pan can be constructed from a blank by folding the blank along base forming fold lines to form peripheral tapered walls, folding each of the corner pieces along a diagonal corner fold line to form a corner flap, and bending each corner flap along at least two corner piece forming fold lines so that each corner flap overlies an adjacent peripheral tapered wail to form a sealed corner. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a blank of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention showing the blank folded to define a container; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken generally along lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the present invention showing corner flaps being folded towards an exterior surface of a peripheral sidewall; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the present invention showing corner flaps continuing to be folded towards the exterior surface of the peripheral sidewall; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the present invention showing corner flaps folded to form a seamless corner; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the present invention showing a container having an aperture for inserting a drain plug; and 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the present invention showing a plurality of containers being nested within each other. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a top plan view of blank  10  of the present invention. Blank  10  broadly comprises base  12 , peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 , corner pieces  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , base forming fold lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and corner piece forming fold lines  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ,  28   a ,  28   b . Each corner piece  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  is defined by two corner piece forming fold lines  22   a  and  22   b ,  24   a  and  24   b ,  26   a  and  26   b ,  28   a  and  28   b , respectively, which are disposed at acute angles. Corner pieces  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  further comprise diagonal corner fold lines  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , respectively. By “acute angles” it is meant that each corner piece forming fold line  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ,  28   a ,  28   b  is less than 45 degrees from diagonal corner folding lines  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , respectively. The portions of the peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  forming corner pieces  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  are notched, thereby reducing the edge size as described infra. When corner pieces  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  are folded along the diagonal corner fold lines  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , respectively, corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , are formed. Peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  further comprise hems  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 , which when folded along respective hem fold lines  62 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68  overlie the interior surface  70  of peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 . 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention showing blank  10  folded to define container  72 . Container  72  comprises base  12 , four peripheral tapered inclined walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 , and corners  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 . Corners  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88  are operatively arranged to be seamless to reduce the ability of a liquid such as oil, water and the like from leaking. Each corner flap  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  is bent about the corresponding corner piece forming fold lines  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ,  28   a ,  28   b , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 1 , described in more detail infra. Thus, for example the end of peripheral tapered wail  74  is adjacent to the end of peripheral tapered wail  80 . In  44  (diagonal corner fold lines  38 ,  40 ,  42  are shown in  FIG. 1 ) are disposed adjacent to and overlie exterior surface  71  of peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  respectively. While corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  are shown overlying exterior surface  71  of peripheral tapered wails  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 , it should be appreciated that corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  can instead overlie interior surface  70  of peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  container  72  to receive additional, substantially identical containers therein. By “tapered outwardly” it is meant that walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  are inclined at obtuse angles. That is, walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  are inclined at angles greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees and thus taper from the hem to the respective base forming fold line. It should be appreciated that hems  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  have notched terminal ends  54   a  and  54   b ,  56   a  and  56   b ,  58   a  and  58   b , and  60   a  and  60   b  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), to accommodate the angle of walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 . 
     FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken generally along lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 . In this view, hems  56  and  60  are shown folded along respective hem fold lines  64  and  68  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) such that hems  56 ,  60  overlie the interior surface  70  of peripheral sections  16 ,  20 . Each hem  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  (hems  54 ,  60  shown in  FIG. 1 ) therefore, comprises at least two layers of material. It should be appreciated that since peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  have hems  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 , it is less likely that one can cut themselves. Preferably, container  72  is made of galvanized metal. A satisfactory range of thickness of the galvanized metal has been found to be between approximately 0.016 inches and 0.026 inches. 
     FIGS. 4-6  illustrate a folding sequence for forming container  72 . Blank  10  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) is folded along base forming fold lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  to form peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 . Each corner piece  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  is then folded along diagonal corner fold line  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , respectively, to form corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 . Finally, corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  are each folded in a first direction around corner piece forming fold lines  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ,  28   a ,  28   b  such that each set of corner piece forming fold lines  22   a  and  22   b ,  24   a  and  24   b ,  26   a  and  26   b , and  28   a  and  28   b  are adjacent to each other. By “first direction” it is meant that corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  are folded in a counter-clockwise direction. However, it should be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that some or all of the corner flaps may be folded in other directions, for example a clockwise direction. Thus, sealed corners  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88  are formed by progressively folding along diagonal corner fold lines  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and then corner piece fold lines  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ,  28   a ,  28   b  such that corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  overlie exterior surface  71  of each adjacent peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 , respectively. In one configuration, the progressive folding forms a liquid-tight corner without requiring secondary adhesives or sealants. 
   It should be appreciated that portions of the peripheral sections  14 ,  16 ,  8 ,  20  forming corner pieces  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  are notched so that corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  do not project above the height of the adjacent wall in one configuration, the corner flaps  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  have the same height as peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  when bent to overlie exterior surface  71 . Further, it should be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that other folding sequences may be used to form corner flaps and sealed corners and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 
     FIG. 7  shows peripheral tapered wall  74  having aperture  90  punched through wall  74  to matingly engage drain plug  92 . It should be appreciated to one having ordinary skill in the art that aperture  90  can be in any one of the peripheral tapered walls for the insertion of drain plug  92 . The drain plug  92  can be tethered to container  72  by a tether  94 . The tether  94  extends through the aperture  90  and the drain plug  92  to retain the drain plug relative to the container  72 . In one configuration, the tether  94  allows the drain plug  92  to be spaced from the container  72  by a sufficient distance to substantially preclude interfering with the nesting (stacking) of a plurality of containers. 
     FIG. 8  shows a plurality of substantially identical containers  72  each having base  12 , four peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  and corresponding corners  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 . Containers  72  are shown being stacked such that a substantial portion of peripheral tapered walls of a first nested container  72  is received within a substantial portion of the peripheral tapered walls  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  of a second container  72 . The container  72  may be operatively arranged to receive a second container  72 , wherein base  12  of a one container  72  is substantially adjacent to base  12  of a nested second container  72 . 
   Thus, at least three containers  721  can be nested to a height that is less than twice the height of a single container. In a further configuration, at least one halt the height of the container  72  is received within a nesting container. 
   Further, the tethers  94  are sized to dispose the retained drain plug  92  a sufficient distance from the aperture  90  so that a second container can be nested within a first container, so that the nesting is not limited by the respective drain plug  92 . 
   Therefore, as the tether  94  has some thickness, the maximum nesting (stacking) density is achieved when the upper edge (hem) of a lower container  72  is within a thickness of the tether  94  of the top of the aperture  90  of the upper container. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.