Abstract:
The embodiments of the present invention provide a blank of foldable material that is configurable to form a container. When formed, the container includes air cell structures that allow for the container with a constant outside volume to have a variable inside volume. The air cell structure of this container functions to prevent telescoping of vertically stacked containers for strength and stability. The relative size of the panels used in forming the air cell portion from one container to the next is variable to allow for a single outside volume, but differing inside volumes.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention related generally to cellulose-based blanks and containers and more specifically to wood cellulose-based blanks and containers used for storing and displaying goods. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following FIGURES. 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a single piece container blank formed in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a partially assembled container assembled according to an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembled according to yet another aspect of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is yet another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembled according to a further aspect of the present invention; and, 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the assembled container blank of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The present invention provides a blank and resulting container for shipping and displaying a variety of goods. By way of overview, and with reference to the  FIGS. 1 through 5 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a single piece blank  20  of formable material arranged to form a container  60 . Specific details of the blank  20  and container  60  are described in more particularity below. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  depicts a blank  20  used to form container  60 . The blank  20  is preferably 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 this 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 to include a plurality of panels that when assembled form container  60 . 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. 
         [0010]    With respect to  FIG. 1 , the blank includes an outer bottom panel  22 . The outer bottom panel  22  is typically rectangular or square in shape. The outer bottom panel  22  is connected with an outer back panel  26  at fold line  21 . Further, the outer bottom panel  22  is connected with an outer front locking panel  52  along a fold line  23 . The outer front locking panel  52  is connected with an inner front locking panel  54  via a pair of spaced apart fold lines  25 . The inner front locking panel  54  includes projections  57  extending from a periphery of the outer surface of the inner front locking panel  54  opposite the spaced apart fold lines  25 . The outer back panel  26  is bounded by fold line  21 , opposed fold lines  27  and perforation line  29 . 
         [0011]    A first air cell back panel  40  is connected with the outer back panel  26  along perforation line  29 , opposite the outer bottom panel  22 . A second air cell back panel  42  is connected with the first air cell back panel  40  along a perforation line  31 , opposite fold perforation  29 . A third air cell back panel  44  is connected with the second air cell back panel  42  along a perforation line  33  opposite perforation line  31 . A fourth air cell back panel  46  is connected with third air cell back panel  44  along a perforation line  35  which is opposite perforation line  33 . Perforation lines  35 ,  33 ,  31 ,  29  and fold lines  21 ,  23  and spaced apart fold lines  25  are all substantially parallel to one another. 
         [0012]    Connected with the outer back panel  26  along a fold line  27  is a pair of substantially identical outer side panels  28 . A front panel  50  is connected with the outer side panel  28  along a fold line  49 , which is substantially parallel to fold line  27 . Likewise, an inner bottom panel  24  is connected with outer side panel  28  along a fold line  51 . 
         [0013]    A first air cell side panel  30  is connected with the outer side panel  28  along a perforation line  41 . A second air cell side panel  32  is connected with the first air cell side panel  30  along a perforation line  43 . A third air cell side panel  34  is connected with the second air cell side panel  32  along a perforation line  45 . Finally, a fourth air cell side panel  36  is connected with the third air cell side panel  34  along a perforation line  47 . 
         [0014]    Perforation lines  41 ,  43 ,  45 ,  47  and perforation lines  29 ,  31 ,  33 ,  35  are formed such that when the container is erected, those panels form a rollover corner assembly. Those perforation lines may include a variety of cut sections and perforated or scored sections to ease the rollover corner formation. These rollover perforation lines and roll over corner construction are known in the art and as such, a detailed description of them is not necessary herein in order for a person of ordinary skill in the art to be able to understand this aspect of the present invention. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 2 through 5  show various stages of the container erection. With specific reference to  FIG. 2 , the blank  20  is folded along fold lines  43  and  31  respectively, such that the first air cell side panel  30  is juxtaposed the second air cell side panel  32 . Likewise, the first air cell back panel  40  is juxtaposed the second air cell back panel  42 . 
         [0016]    Further, outer side panel  28  and outer back panel  26  may be folded upwardly along fold lines  51  and  21 , respectively, thus bringing the various side and back panels into a perpendicular arrangement with respect to the outer bottom panel  22 . Likewise, the outer side panels  28  may be folded inwardly along fold lines  27  such that the inner bottom panel  24  juxtaposed with the outer bottom panel  22  as best seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0017]    Further, the erection process of this container may continue by folding the front panels  50  inwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold line  49 . Then the inner front locking panel  54  is folded over an extended portion of the front panel  50  so that extended portion of the front panel  50  is sandwiched between the outer front locking panel  52  and the inner front locking panel  54  as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 5  depicts the erect container  60  according to various aspects of this present invention. Specifically the air cell side and back panels are illustrated. The air cells, with respect to the air cell side panels, are formed by folding over the various air cell side panels with respect to one another. When formed, the fourth air cell side panel  36  is juxtaposed against the outer side panel  28 . It may be affixed to the outer side panel in any know way, such as, without limitation, adhesive or tape. When the fourth air cell side panel  36  is affixed in such a way, the other air cell side panels form an “air cell” of open space. Likewise, the same process is followed with the first air cell back panel  40 , second air cell back panel  42 , third air cell back panel  44  and the fourth air cell back panel  46 . 
         [0019]    The size of the air cell with depend upon the relative size of the various panels. By manipulating the size of the various air cell panels, a container having a single outside volume or footprint may have multiple inside volumes. 
         [0020]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the overall size and shape of the various air cell side panels and air cell back panels may be selected to achieve a wide variety of desired internal container volumes with respect to the outside container geometry. In this manner, the container  60  of a given outside geometry may have any variety of internal volume based upon specific packaging needs. Thus, a person may select a container of a desired outside volume, for example, an optimal size to fit on a pallet, without concern for interior volume concerns. 
         [0021]    A variety of additional elements may be included, such as, without limitation, vents, specialized liners or grease barriers, etc., without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Similarly, rounding or otherwise trimming of various panels is considered within the scope of this invention. 
         [0022]    Container  60  as shown is simple to manufacture, easy to assembly and could be a design of considerable usage for club stores, bulk stores or wherever products are sold in large quantities on open floors. However, this design is also useful in any variety of retail or wholesale environments. It is display ready once it is formed. 
         [0023]    While various embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited to disclosure of the various embodiments; instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.