Abstract:
An inner packing device for forming a plurality of cells within an outer container and including side panels, end panels, center panels, and transverse panels joined to the center panel and extending therefrom through the side panels.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to inner packing devices and more particularly to a one-piece paperboard partition device adapted to be used within an outer container or wrapper to form a plurality of cells therewith. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A prior art search in the United States Patent and Trademark Office directed to the subject matter of this application disclosed the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,871,569; 3,963,171; 4,226,357; 4,272,008. 
     None of the prior art patents uncovered in the search discloses a one-piece, paperboard, inner partition device which includes opposed side panels, opposed end panels, center panels, and transverse panels cut from and foldably joined to the center panels and extending outwardly through slots in the side panels to form a partition structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a one-piece inner packing device for use as a partition within an outer container or wrapper to form a plurality of cells therewith. 
     A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible, one-piece partition device formed of paperboard which may be easily assembled by hand from a flat blank. 
     A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a partition device of the type described which includes a pair of opposed side panels, pairs of opposed end panels, and center panels joined to the end panels and having cut therefrom and foldably joined thereto transverse panels which extend outwardly toward and beyond the side panels to form a partition structure. 
     These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partition device employing features of the invention, as shown in the assembled condition; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank of foldable sheet material from which the partition device illustrated in FIG. 1 may be formed; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the partially assembled structure illustrating one step in the assembly of the partition from the blank; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, but as seen from the opposite side thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating the manner in which the two sections of the device are folded together in side-by-side relation; 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the structure in its assembled condition; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the structure taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are believed to be illustrated to better advantage in other views. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, it will be seen that the partition device, indicated generally at P in FIG. 1, may be formed from a unitary blank B of foldable sheet material illustrated in FIG. 2. 
     Blank B is an elongated sheet of material, such as paperboard, and is divided into a pair of identical sections each of which includes a centrally located side panel 10 having a pair of end panels 12 foldably joined on fold lines 13 to opposite end edges thereof. 
     Foldably joined to opposite edges of each end panel 12 on fold line 15 are center panel sections 14 each of which in turn has foldably joined to its opposite edge, on fold line 27, a transverse panel indicated generally at 20. 
     Still referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that side panels 10 and end panels 12 of the respective sections of the blanks are separated from each other by a cut line 17, and transverse panels 20 are separated from each other by cut lines 29. At the same time center panel sections 14 are foldably joined to each other along fold lines 19. 
     It will be noted that each of the transverse panels 20 is constructed in the form of a cross with a center upright or vertical portion 22 and a pair of side wings or lateral portions 24 and 26 extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof with each lateral portion 26 being foldably joined to adjacent center panel section 14 on the previously mentioned fold line 27. 
     In assemblying the structure the transverse panels, center panel sections, and end panels are folded at right angles to side panels 10. Center panel sections 14 and attached transverse panels 20 are then folded at right angles to end panels 12 so as to lie in face-to-face relation with each other, at best seen in FIGS. 1 and 8. Transverse panels 20 are then folded at right angles to their respective center panel sections 14, with the lateral portions 24 projecting through the slots 11 in the respective side panels 10 and outwardly beyond the side panels, as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. At this point the blank sections are folded at 180° on fold lines 19, so that side panels 10 are brought in face-to-face relationship to form the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8. 
     Thus, it will be appreciated that the novel arrangement for the partition device provides one which is relatively inexpensive to produce and which may be manually assembled very quickly.