Abstract:
The present invention is useful with any variety of bulk container designs that incorporate an internal bag within the container. The present invention uses a simple structure formed in the side walls of the container that will not only hold the bag open within the container during filling, but will also keep the bag attached to the container when the container in emptied. The bag catch assembly includes various cut lines that define a bag catch tab. Additionally another cut line(s) forms a bag retainer slit.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to cellulose-based blanks and containers employing internal bags, and more specifically to structure and method of retaining the bag inside the container during the filling and emptying of the container. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Bulk containers using internal bags are known in the art. For example, the meat industry has long used a bag inside a box combination to store and ship their various products. The bag is typically used to keep liquids from spilling and the container provides structure to the bag and its contents. 
   Until this invention there has been no simple way to keep the bag open within the container while the bag/container is being filled. Likewise, there has been no simple way to keep the bag attached to the container when the container is being emptied. These problems may seem trivial; however, much time is lost in packaging plants reopening a bag that has closed or partially closed during the filling process. Likewise much time and product is lost when, for example, bulk meat containers are emptied into grinding machines and the bag separates from the container and enters the grinding machine. In such a case, the grinder and its contents are contaminated and the product must be thrown away. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a single piece container blank formed in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of an aspect of the bag catch assembly according to an aspect of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of another single piece of container blank formed in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of an aspect of the bag catch tab constructed according to an aspect of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the container incorporating an aspect of the bad catch according to the present intention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention provides a blank and a resulting container using a unique bag catch structure designed to hold a bag open inside the container while the container/bag are being filled, and to retain that bag with the container when the container/bag is emptied. By way of overview and with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a single piece blank  20  of formable material that may be arranged to form a container  30 , including a bag catch assembly  27 . Specific details of the blank  20  and container  30  are described with more particularity below. 
     FIG. 1  depicts the blank  20  used to form the container  30 . The blank  20  and the container  30  include a bag catch assembly  27 . 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 the present invention come in many forms such as fiberboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard. Likewise, additional forms may include singlewall, doublewall and triplewall containers. The blank  20  is cut and scored, perforated or other formed to include a plurality of panels that when assembled form container  30 . 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. 
   With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the blank  20  depicts what is commonly known in the container industry as a combo bin. As combo bins specifically, and bulk bins generally, are know in the art, a detailed description is not necessary herein to understand the various aspects of the present invention. Additionally, the specific shape or geometry of the container  30  is not intended to be a limiting factor with this invention. The present invention may be used with any style of container  30  having any geometry. The blank  20  includes a variety of side panels  22  that are arranged to form the sides of the container  30  when it is formed. Also the blank  20  includes a variety of bottom panels  24  that when the container is erected form the bottom closure of the container  30 . As depicted in this FIGURE, the container is an 8-sided, octagon-shaped box. However, as stated above, the container  30  may be square, rectangular, trapezoidal or any other geometric shape without defeating the spirit and scope of the present invention. As such, the relative shape and locations of the various side panels  24  and bottom panels  24  is dependent upon the container  30  design. 
   Disposed in a region near the upper portion of the erect container  30  are the bag catch assemblies  27 . The region having the bag catch assemblies  27  is generally a region opposite the bottom panels  24 . As depicted in this FIGURE, the bag catch assemblies  27  are disposed on every other panel—specifically in this combo bin model, the bag catch assemblies  27  are positioned on the angular panels of the combo bin. However, as seen in later FIGURES, the bag catch assembly  27  may be positioned on more or fewer side panels  22  based upon the size and geometry of the container  30 . The optimal bag catch assembly  27  location may be reasonably determined by those skilled in the art. It will be appreciated that one consideration with regards to placing the bag catch assemblies  27  on the side panels  22  is placing the bag catch assemblies  27  in those locations that may reduce any possible tearing of the side wall  22 . 
   With specific reference to  FIG. 2 , one aspect of the bag catch assembly  27  is shown in further detail. The bag catch assembly  27  is formed in the side panel  22 . The bag catch assembly  27  includes, in this configuration, a radius hinged line  29  that forms into a cut line  25 . Cut line  25  is in a shape of an inverted “V” where the apex of the V-shaped cut line  25  extends a retainer slit  26 . It will be appreciated that other cut line shapes may be used, such as, without limitation, U-shaped. The retainer slit  26  extends substantially vertically from the apex of the V-shaped cut line  25 . The dimensions of the retainer slit  26  will be readily attainable of those skilled in the art, as it will be a function of the size and style or type of bag  29  that is employed within the container  29 . As such, the retainer slit  26  may be a simple cut line if the bag  29  is relatively thin, or the retainer slit  26  may be a cut-out or for a larger, or thicker bag  29 . 
   With specific reference to  FIG. 3 , another blank  20  is shown with depicting yet another aspect of the bag catch assembly  27 . Specifically, this bag catch assembly  27  is disposed upon every side panel  22  of the blank  20 . Also the location of the bag catch assembly  27  in this configuration is centrally located on each of the side panels  22 . Again, however, the position of the bag catch assembly  27  within the side panel  22  and the number of side panels  22  in a give container  30  which actually included in bag catch assembly  27  is variable and dependent upon the design requirements and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
   With specific reference to  FIG. 4 , a more detailed view of the bag catch assembly  27  disclosed in  FIG. 3  is depicted. Specifically, this bag catch assembly  27  includes, much like the previous one, a substantially V-shaped cut line  25  wherein extending from an apex in a vertical direction is the bag retainer slit  26 . In this configuration, the bag catch assembly  27  does not include a radius or score line across the opposed ends of the cut line  25 . However, it will be appreciated that a score line may be included across the two end points of the V-shaped cut line  25  in order to increase the ease in which the bag catch tab  28  may be displaced. 
     FIG. 5  depicts another aspect of the present invention. Specifically, an erect container  30  includes an internal bag  29  engaged with the bag catch assembly  27 . The nature of the bag  29  is any bag commonly used in the bulk packaging art. One suitable, nonlimiting example includes a bag  29  made from a polymer based material. Specifically, as can be seen on the side panels  22 , the bag catch tab  28  is pushed in towards the inside of the container  30  so a portion of a free end of the bag  29  may be stuffed through the opening created by displaced the bag catch tab  28 . A portion of bag  29  may then be pulled up into the retainer slit  26 . The retainer slit  26  acts to lock the bag  29  with the container  30 . The bag catch assembly  27  will keep the bag  29  open during filling, and also prevent the bag  29  from separating from the container  30  while being emptied. 
   The present invention also includes a method of retaining a bag  29  within a container  30 . Specifically, a bag  29  is inserted into a container such that an open end of the bag is draped over the top edge of the container  30 . A portion of the open end of the bag  29  can then be pushed against the bag catch tab  28  thereby displacing the bag catch tab  28  and allowing a portion of the bag  29  to be inserted into the opening. The bag  29  may then be pulled upwardly into the retainer slit  26 , thereby binding the bag in a semi-locked position with the side wall  22 . 
   It will be appreciated that once the bag  29  is inserted into the container  30  and engaged with the bag catch assemblies  27  as discussed above, that the bag  29  will be held open during filling. Also, upon being filled, the contents within the bag will help push the bag catch tab  28  back toward its pre-displaced location, thus binding the bag  29  there between, thereby further helping to secure the bag  29  to the container  30 . Also if the container  30  is inverted to empty product, the bag catch assembly will keep the bag  29  with the container  30 . 
   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 this 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.