Corrugated paperboard box with reinforced side walls

A box has front and back walls and a bottom wall extended between the lower margins of those walls. It also has side walls that are attached to the front and back walls and close the sides of the box. Each side wall contains two panels which are joined together at a manufacturer's joint midway between the front and back walls to create a column within the side wall. The column extends all the way to the bottom wall and enhances the strength of the side wall. In one embodiment the columns in the side walls support a beam that extends through the box and items may be suspended from the beam. In another embodiment, the bottom wall folds, as do the side walls at their columns, so that the box may be supplied in a knocked-down condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates in general to paperboard boxes, and more 
particularly to corrugated paperboard boxes that have the capacity to 
transfer substantial loads through their walls. 
Boxes formed from corrugated paperboard serve as packaging for a wide 
variety of merchandise and other items. The typical box has upright walls 
formed from a single thickness of corrugated paperboard and 
ends--actually, the top and bottom--formed from overlapping flaps. The box 
derives from a corrugated paperboard blank containing panels corresponding 
to the upright walls and to the flaps. Scores separate the wall panels 
from each other and from the flap panels, enabling the walls and flaps to 
fold easily. Actually, the blank is folded over upon itself along the 
scores which join its wall panels, and the endmost panels are joined 
together by glue to create a manufacturer's joint. In the box, this joint 
exists along one of the upright corners, perhaps giving the box somewhat 
more strength at that corner than at the remaining upright corners, which 
are otherwise the strongest regions of box from the standpoint of 
transferring vertical loads. But still, the box does not have much 
capacity to transfer vertical loads such as those which might be derived 
from stacking one box upon another or those which might be produced from a 
suspended load within the box. 
Apart from that the typical box requires gluing or stapling equipment to 
transform it from a collapsed condition to a useful erected container, and 
this occurs usually where the box is loaded. But some boxes must be 
erected at locations where gluing or stapling equipment is unavailable or 
impractical to use. 
The present invention resides in a corrugated paperboard box which has, 
within its side walls, columns that enhance the strength of those side 
walls and as such enable the box to transmit greater vertical loads. Those 
loads may result from the box lying beneath other boxes in a stack of 
boxes, or simply from items being suspended from the upper regions of the 
side walls in the box. The invention also resides in a box that is erected 
from a folded blank without any separate fastening devices or specialized 
equipment, and in a box that folds within its own periphery to occupy 
minimal space. 
The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and 
combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the drawings, a box A (FIG. 1) has the capacity to support 
one or several items N in suspended condition, that is with the items 
suspended from its upper regions and depending into the lower regions of 
its interior. Despite the weight of the items N, the box A retains its 
shape and indeed transfers the weight of the items N through the vertical 
walls of the box A. Moreover, the box A is configured to position the 
suspended items N and further stabilize them so they do not swing or move 
about within the confines of the box. 
The box A includes (FIGS. 1 & 2) front and back walls 2 and 4, side walls 
6, and a bottom wall 8, all joined together at right angle corners 10. The 
front and back walls 2 and 4 and the side walls 6 surround the hollow 
interior of the box A, and that hollow interior is exposed through an open 
top, the walls 2, 4 and 6 being free of any flaps along their upper 
margins. Each side wall 6 is reinforced by a column 12 which extends from 
the very bottom of the wall 6 upwardly midway between the two corners 10 
at which the wall 6 is attached to the front and back walls 2 and 4. The 
column 12 projects into the interior of the box A and terminates slightly 
below the upper margin of the wall 6. The bottom wall 8, on the other 
hand, has a stabilizing rib 14 which extends between the two side walls 6 
midway between the front and back walls 2 and 4 and projects upwardly into 
the interior of the box A. The rib 14 generally aligns with the columns 
12, but in the region of the side walls 6, the ends of the rib 14 lie to 
the sides of the two columns 12, since the columns 12 extend all the way 
to the bottom wall 8. The rib 14 remains upright. 
At the upper end of the box N a beam 18 (FIG. 1) extends through the hollow 
interior midway between the front and back walls 2 and 4. The beam 18 at 
its ends is connected to and indeed supported on the columns 12, and thus 
any weight suspended from the beam 18 is transferred through the columns 
12 to the bottom wall 8 which will normally rest on a solid supporting 
surface such as a floor or the deck of a pallet. 
The beam 18 is formed from layers of plain paperboard, which are joined 
together with glue in a U-shaped configuration. As such the beam 18 has 
(FIG. 2) a pair of legs 20, which lie parallel to each other, and a short 
connecting portion 22 joining the two legs 20. The distance between the 
two legs 20 essentially equals the thickness of the columns 12, and the 
beam 18 at its ends fits over the upper ends of the columns 12 with the 
two legs 20 lying along the sides of the columns 12 and the connecting 
portion 22 resting on top surfaces of the columns 12. The beam 18 is 
attached to the columns 12 with glue or with staples driven through its 
legs 20 and into the columns 12. The upper ends of the columns 12 lie 
below the upper margins of the side walls 6 and the front and back walls 2 
and 4 as well by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the 
connecting portion 22 in the beam 18 so that the beam 18 remains fully 
within the interior of the box A. Being affixed to the columns 12, the 
beam 18 maintains a fixed spacing between the two side walls 6, by 
preventing them from spreading at their upper ends. In other words, the 
beam 18 stabilizes the side walls 6. Each paperboard layer in the beam 18 
extends longitudinally the full length of the beam 18 and laterally 
through its two legs 20 and the connecting portion 22 without 
interruption. 
The items N are suspended from the beam 18 and usually hook over the beam 
18 (FIG. 1). If the items N extend downwardly close to the bottom wall 8, 
the rib 14 may serve to stabilize them. For example, the lower end of the 
items N may lie along and contact the rib 14 so that the rib 14 prevents 
the items N from rocking back and forth on the beam 18. The beam 18 serves 
as an excellent support for clothes hangers, thus rendering the box A 
well-suited for shipping clothing. Another beam 18 may be installed in the 
interior of the box A simply by creating slits in the ribs 14 at the 
elevation desired for that beam 18. The slits should equal the thickness 
of the connecting portion 22 of the beam 18 since they receive the 
connecting portion 22 at its ends. 
Typically, the open upper end of the box A is closed with a cover M (FIG. 
1) that includes a main panel 26 which extends across the open top and 
lips 28 which project downwardly from the panel 26 and lie along the 
exterior surfaces of the walls 2, 4 and 6 in the upper regions of those 
walls. The cover M, which is likewise formed from corrugated paperboard, 
is conventional in construction. It too is erected without glue or 
staples. 
The box A is formed from two identical blanks 30, which are made of 
corrugated paperboard. Each blank 30 has (FIG. 4) a main panel 32 and 
smaller side panels 34 connected to it along scores 36 at which the side 
panels 34 may fold relative to the main panels 32. The side panels 34 in 
turn have extensions 38 connected to them along more scores 40, and each 
extension is divided into two segments by another score 42. The three 
scores 36, 40 and 42 lie parallel to each other. The main panel 32 and the 
two side panels 34 share a common free margin at which the scores 36 and 
40 terminate, but the extension 38 terminates short of that margin, thus 
producing a notch in the blank 30 at the end of each extension 38. 
In addition, each blank 30 has a bottom panel 44 which is connected to the 
main panel 32 along a score 46 that lies parallel to the free margin of 
the panel 32. The bottom panel 44 also has an extension 48 connected to it 
along a score 50, but in contrast to the extensions 38, the extension 48 
is not further divided. The width of the bottom panel 44 exceeds that of 
extension 48 considerably, and is slightly less than the side panels 34. 
Finally, each blank 30 has end panels 52 which are attached to its side 
panels 34 along scores 54 which align with the score 46 and also with the 
bottom margins of the extensions 38. The end panels 52, which are about as 
wide as the side panels 34 from which they project, also have extensions 
56 connected to them along scores 58. 
The corrugations in the blank 30 lie parallel to scores 36 that separate 
the main panels 32 and side panels 34. 
Each box A contains two blanks 30 which, when the box A is in a knocked 
down or collapsed condition, lie face-to-face and are joined together at 
their extensions 38 (FIG. 5). Actually, each extension 38 is folded over 
onto itself along its score 42, and the two portions of the extension 38 
are joined together preferably with glue. The side panels 34 and the 
folded extensions 38 are then folded over onto the main body panel 32 
along the scores 36. The folded extensions 38 of the two blanks 30 are 
next brought face-to-face and joined, again preferably with glue to create 
manufacturer's joints at the sides of the joined-together blanks 30. When 
folded into its knocked down condition, the box A lies within a perimeter 
no greater than that occupied when it is erected. 
To erect the box A from the two joined-together blanks 30, the main panels 
32 of the two blanks 30 are moved apart, and to accommodate this 
separation, the side panels 34 fold relative to the main panels 32 at the 
scores 36 to form the corners 10 (FIG. 6). The folded-over and 
joined-together extensions 38 fold relative to the side panels 34 along 
the scores 40 that join the extensions 38 to the side panels 34. This, in 
effect, creates a tube with the joined-together extensions 38 projecting 
into the interior of the tube. Next the end panels 52 are folded inwardly 
along the scores 54 and brought generally upwardly toward the interior 
surfaces of the side panels 34. With the end panels 52 so disposed, the 
bottom panels 44 are folded inwardly along the scores 46 and brought 
beneath the side panels 34. Also the extensions 48 on the bottom panels 44 
may be folded upwardly along the scores 50. As the bottom panels 44 for 
the two blanks 30 approach each other their respective extensions 48 tuck 
to the sides of the columns 12. Next the elevated end panels 52 are 
lowered into the bottom panel 44. The bottom panels 44 and end panels 52 
are attached to the underlying surface, such as by staples driven through 
them into the underlying surface. Finally, the beam 18 is installed over 
the upper ends of the folded extensions 38 on the side panels 34. 
The two blanks 30 when so folded and otherwise arranged form the box A 
(FIG. 1). Within the box A, the aligned side panels 34 of the two folded 
blanks 30 form the side walls 6, the main panels 32 form the front and 
back walls 2 and 4, and the aligned bottom panels 44, and also the end 
panels 52, form the bottom wall 8. The columns 12 in the box A constitute 
the doubled back extensions 38 which are joined together, thereby 
providing within each column 12 four layers of corrugated 
paperboard--layers which impart considerable strength to the columns 12 
and to the side walls 6 of which they form a part. The rib 14 in the 
bottom wall 8 derives from the abutting extensions 48 on the bottom panels 
44 of the two blanks 30. 
A modified box B (FIG. 7) dispenses with the beam 18, yet retains the 
capacity to support and transmit considerable weight. The box B has front 
and back walls 62 and 64, side walls 66, and a bottom wall 68, all of 
which meet at corners 70. In addition, the box B has columns 72 within its 
sides walls 66 midway between the corners 70 at which those walls 66 are 
connected to the front and back walls 62 and 64. The columns 72 reinforce 
the side walls 66. 
Like the box A, the box B derives from two blanks 74 (FIG. 8) which are 
folded and then joined together. Each blank 74 includes a main panel 76 
and two side panels 78 which are joined to the main panel 76 along scores 
80. One of the side panels 78 has an extension 82 projecting from it along 
another score 84. In addition, the blank 74 has a bottom panel 86 attached 
to it along still another score 88 and end panels 90 attached to the side 
panels 78 along yet more scores 92 which align with and form extensions of 
the score 88. The corrugations lie parallel to the scores 80 and 84. 
The box B comes in a knocked down condition with its two blanks 74 joined 
together only at their extensions 82. More specifically, each side panel 
78 is folded along its score 80 onto the main panel 76 from which it 
projects, and the extension 82 is attached by glue to that side panel 78 
of the other blank 74 which does not have an extension 82. In the knocked 
down condition the two blanks 74 lie face-to-face with the two extensions 
82 flat between them at their ends (FIG. 9). Thus, the box B likewise 
folds into its perimeter. 
To erect the box B from the joined-together blanks 74, the main panels 76 
are moved apart (FIG. 10). The side panels 78 accommodate this separation 
by folding away from the main panels 76 along the scores 80 and also at 
the scores 84 for the extensions 82. When the side panels 78 lie generally 
perpendicular to the main panels 76, the end panels 90 on them are folded 
inwardly. Then the bottom panels 86 on the main panels 76 are folded 
inwardly between the end panels 90. The bottom panels 86 and end panels 90 
are secured to a supporting surface, such as a pallet deck, with staples 
driven through them. 
The main panels 76 of the two blanks 74 form the front and back walls 62 
and 64 of the Box B; the joined together side panels 78 of the two blanks 
74 form the side walls 66; nd the overlapping bottom panels 86 and end 
panels 90 form the bottom wall 68 (FIG. 7). The manufacturer's joint 
formed by the extensions 82 joined to the free side panels 78 form the 
columns 72. 
Still another box C (FIG. 11) differs from the other boxes A and B in that 
it derives from a single blank and may be shipped in a knocked down 
condition. Yet the box C is erected without any special equipment, and 
this makes it particularly adapted for use in the field. Moreover, the box 
C, like the boxes A and B, is reinforced along its sides and thus suited 
for supporting and transferring greater weight. 
More specifically, the box C includes (FIGS. 11 & 12) front and back walls 
102 and 104, side walls 106 and a bottom wall 108. The front and back 
walls 102 and 104 and the side walls 106 are joined together at corners 
110, and likewise the front and back walls 102 and 104 are joined to the 
bottom wall 108 at horizontal corners 110. The side walls 106, for the 
most part, contain two layers of corrugated paperboard and, in addition, 
columns 112 which are located midway between the vertical corners 110. The 
columns 112, which take the form of manufacturer's joints, impart 
considerable strength to the side walls 106. Finally along their upper 
margins, the front and back walls 102 and 104 and the side walls 106 turn 
inwardly at more horizontal corners 110 to form a supporting rim 114 
around the otherwise open top of the box C. The horizontal corners 110 
along the front and back walls 102 and 104 at the rim 114 are not 
continuous, but instead are interrupted by positioning tabs 116 which 
project upwardly beyond the rim 114. The rim 114 coupled with the tabs 116 
render the box well-suited for stacking, for a like box C will fit between 
the tabs 116 and rest on the rim 114. The columns 112 transfer much of the 
weight of the overlying box to the surface on which the box C rests. 
The box C derives from a single blank 120 (FIG. 13) which is formed from 
corrugated paperboard. The blanks 120 include two main panels 122 and a 
bottom panel 124 interposed between the main panels 122. The panels 122 
and 124 are joined together along scores 126 and the bottom panel 124 
itself has twin, closely spaced, scores 128 located midway between and 
parallel to the scores 126. 
The main panels 122 are also joined to side panels 130 along additional 
scores 132 which are perpendicular to the scores 126, there being a score 
132 and side panel 130 on each side of each main panel 122. Each side 
panel 130, in turn, has a short extension 134 connected to it along a 
score 136 that lies parallel to the score 132 by which the side panel 130 
is attached to its main panel 122. The width of each side panel 130, which 
is the distance between the two scores 132 and 136, is essentially 
one-half the width of the bottom panel 124, that is to say one half the 
distance between the scores 126 at which the main panels 122 are joined to 
the bottom panel 124. Each side panel 130 contains an elongated cutout 138 
and a flap 140 which folds out of the cutout 138 along its upper margin, 
which is actually another, although quite short, score 142. 
The bottom panel 124 is essentially circumscribed by scores. Along two of 
its margins lie the scores 126 at which the main panels 122 are attached 
to the bottom panel 124. Its remaining margins are defined by additional 
scores 144 which intersect the scores 126 at right angles, and at the 
scores 144, liner panels 146 are attached to the bottom panel 124, there 
being a separate liner panel 146 on each side of the twin scores 128, for 
a total of four liner panels 146 in all. The liner panels 146 are as wide 
as the side panels 130, but need not be as long. The liner panels 146 
contain elongated cutouts 148 that are slightly larger than the cutouts 
138 in the side panels 130 and occupy corresponding positions in the 
panels 146 as well. 
Like the bottom panel 124, the main panels 122 are also bordered on all 
margins by scores. Of course, there are the scores 126 at which the main 
panels 122 are connected to the bottom panel 124. Then there are the 
perpendicular scores 132 at which the side panels 130 are attached. 
Finally, there are scores 150 at which top flaps 152 are attached. Unlike 
the scores 126 and 132, the scores 150 are not continuous. Instead, they 
are interrupted by notches 154 where the main panels 122 project slightly 
beyond the scores 150. Also, the scores 150 are interrupted by smaller 
lock slots 156 which lie near the ends of the scores 150 and are 
essentially confined to the scores 150. 
The side panels 130 also have top flaps 158 connected to them at scores 160 
which align with the scores 150. At their ends, the side panels 130 are 
provided with lock tabs 162 which project beyond the scores 132. The 
offset of the tabs 162 from the scores 160 equals the offset of the small 
notches 156 in the scores 150 from the side scores 132. At their opposite 
ends the top flaps 158 have short extensions 164 attached to them at 
scores 166. 
The corrugations in the corrugated paperboard from which the blank 120 is 
cut lie parallel to the scores 132 at which the side panels 130 are 
connected to the main panels. 
The box C is not sold in the form of the blank 120. Instead, the blank 120 
is folded along its scores 144 and the liner panels 146 are brought over 
onto the bottom panel 124. Likewise the blank 120 is folded along the 
score 132, and the side panels 130 and top flaps 158 are brought over onto 
the main panels 122 and top flaps 152, respectively. The width of each 
main panel 122 is great enough to accommodate the side panels 130 from 
each of its two sides without any overlap of the side panels 130 or the 
extensions 134 on them. With the blank 120 so folded, it is again folded 
along the twin scores 128 in its bottom panel 124 so that the partially 
folded blank 120 is in effect doubled over onto itself (FIG. 14). However, 
the last fold is not made until glue is placed on the extensions 134 for 
the side panels 130 and the extensions 164 for the top flaps 158. Thus, 
when the blank 120 is doubled back upon itself, the extensions 134 and 164 
that now lie inside the two main panels 122 come together and indeed are 
joined to create manufacturer's joints. 
It is in this condition--that is with the attached side panels 130 lying 
face-to-face, and likewise against the main panels 122 and with the bottom 
panel 124 doubled back upon itself with the liner panels 146 captured 
within it (FIG. 14)--that the box C is stored and shipped to those who 
ultimately use it. In this knocked down condition the box C is in effect 
folded within its own perimeter and occupies very little space--indeed 
minimal space. 
To erect the box C from its knocked-down condition, the user brings the 
main panels 122 to an upright position with the bottom panel 124 presented 
downwardly and indeed with the folded blank 120 resting on the small space 
between the twin scores 128 in the bottom panel 124. Simply by virtue of 
the weight of the folded blank 120, it tends to open and in this sense is 
self-erecting. The two halves of the bottom panel 124 fold away from each 
other and move the main panels 122 apart, and they fold relative to the 
bottom panel 124 along the scores 126. The connected side panels 130, 
being attached to the main panels 122 along the side scores 132, 
accommodate the separation of the panels 122 by swinging from their 
previous face-to-face condition generally into alignment. At this point 
the partially erected blank 120 assumes the general configuration of the 
box C (FIG. 15). But more is required. 
The attached extensions 134, along which the side panels 130 of opposite 
main panels 122 are connected, project into the region enclosed by the 
upright main panels 122 and side panels 130 where they form the columns 
112 of the erected box C. The attached extensions 164 for the flaps 152 at 
this juncture rise above the attached extensions 134, that is the columns 
112. 
Next the liner panels 146 are raised through the spaces between the main 
panels 122 and are brought against the inside faces of the side panels 
130. The elongated cutouts 148 in the liner panels 146 generally register 
with the elongated cutouts 138 in the side panels 130, and the somewhat 
larger flaps 140 on the side panels 130 are forced out of the cutouts 138 
and through the cutouts 148 in the liner panels 146, thereby locking the 
panels 130 and 146 together. This prevents the liner panels 146 from 
falling away from the side panels 130. The side panels 130 together with 
the liner panels 146 form the side walls 106 of the box C, whereas the 
main panels 122 form the front and back walls 102 and 104. The bottom 
panel 124 forms the bottom wall 108. 
Next the top flaps 158 on the side panels 130 are folded toward each other 
with the joined-together extensions 164 on them deflected slightly so that 
they do not interfere with the joined-together extensions 134 at which the 
side panels 130 are joined. But the flaps 158 do not fold into the 
interior of the box C. Instead, where they are joined at their extensions 
134, they come to rest on the upper ends of the extensions 134 for side 
panels 130, that is on the upper ends of the columns 112. Also, the lock 
tabs 162 at their ends align with and snap into the lock slots 156 in the 
scores 150 along the upper margins of the main panels 122. Thus, the flaps 
158 assume a horizontal orientation along the side of the box C. The top 
flaps 152 along the main panels 122 fold downwardly onto the top flaps 158 
of the side panel 130 and likewise assume a horizontal orientation. The 
folded flaps 152 and 158 form the supporting rim 114 on the box C. The 
tabs 116, which derive from the notches 154 in flaps 152, project from the 
main panels 122 above the rim 114. 
This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the 
example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure 
which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the 
invention.