Abstract:
A container having deployable support surfaces for reinforcing the container to permit stacking is disclosed. The container includes a plurality of sidewalls pivotably attached to one another end to end. A bottom flap is attached to the bottom edge of each sidewall, and a pivotable support surface is attached to the top edges of two oppositely disposed sidewalls. For each support surface, a support panel extends from the support surface to the bottom flap directly beneath it. The support panels are pivotably attached to the support surfaces and bottom flaps, and, with the oppositely disposed side walls, act as a four bar mechanism to position the support surfaces substantially perpendicular to the side walls when the bottom flaps are pivoted to form the bottom of the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention concerns containers, and especially corrugated cardboard containers assemblable, either automatically or manually from a knockdown state, and having support surfaces permitting stacking of the containers one atop another.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Containers find broad use in the shipment of many types of goods, especially bulk goods. Examples of bulk goods include many food items such as candy and snack foods, small hardware items, small toys and other consumer products. Increasingly, such containers have been found useful for the display and dispensing of the goods at the point of purchase in addition to their traditional function as a shipping container.  
         [0003]     Containers formed of corrugated cardboard provide an economical and robust means for fulfilling the goals of shipment to and display of items at the point of purchase. It has been found advantageous to provide the containers in what is known as a knockdown state, wherein the containers are folded into a flat configuration so that they occupy only a fraction of the volume which they can hold once assembled. This allows large numbers of containers to be shipped efficiently to the container user, who assembles the containers from the knockdown state, fills them with the bulk goods, and ships the goods to his customers. The design of the containers is such that assembly from the knockdown state may be easily accomplished by automated machinery.  
         [0004]     It has also been found useful to provide internal reinforcing structures to the containers to permit them to be stacked one above another without fear of crushing the lowermost containers. Like the rest of the container to which it is attached, the reinforcing structures must lie substantially flat in the knockdown state, and then be deployed when the container is assembled. This has been accomplished by linking the reinforcing structures to the bottom flaps of the container, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,778. The reinforcing structures deploy automatically when the bottom flaps are pivoted into positioned to form the bottom of the container. The design of such containers, however, has a disadvantage in that the bottom flaps extend outwardly from the container when in the knockdown state. While the volume of the container in the knockdown state is greatly reduced, the extension of the bottom flaps outwardly increases the width of the containers. It would be advantageous to further reduce the size of the container when in the knockdown state by reducing the width of the container.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The invention concerns a container, preferably formed from corrugated cardboard, and comprising a plurality of sidewalls attached to one another end to end. The sidewalls are pivotable angularly with respect to one another to surround a central space. Each of the sidewalls has a bottom edge and a top edge. The sidewalls include a first sidewall. The container has a plurality of bottom flaps. Each bottom flap is pivotably attached to one of the sidewalls along its bottom edge. The bottom flaps are pivotable about the bottom edges from a position within the central space to a position substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls thereby forming a bottom. The bottom flaps include a first bottom flap attached to the first sidewall.  
         [0006]     A first support surface is pivotably attached to the top edge of the first sidewall. The first support surface is pivotable from a position substantially co-planar with the first sidewall to a position substantially perpendicular thereto. A first support panel is positioned in facing relation with the first sidewall. The first support panel has a first edge pivotably attached to the first support surface and a second edge pivotably attached to the first bottom flap. The first support panel causes the first support surface to pivot into the position substantially perpendicular to the first sidewall when the first bottom flap is pivoted into the position substantially perpendicular to the first sidewall.  
         [0007]     The container preferably includes a second one of the sidewalls positioned in facing relation opposite to the first sidewall. A second one of the bottom flaps is pivotably attached along the bottom edge of the second sidewall. A second support surface is pivotably attached along the top edge of the second sidewall. The second support surface is pivotable from a position substantially co-planar with the second sidewall to a position substantially perpendicular thereto. A second support panel is positioned in facing relation with the second sidewall. The second support panel has a first edge pivotably attached to the second support surface and a second edge pivotably attached to the second bottom flap. The second support panel causes the second support surface to pivot into the position substantially perpendicular to the first sidewall when the second bottom flap is pivoted into the position substantially perpendicular to the second sidewall.  
         [0008]     The container according to the invention may also have an adjacent sidewall pivotably attached to the first sidewall, and an adjacent bottom flap pivotably attached to the adjacent sidewall and to the first bottom flap. Connecting the adjacent bottom flap to the first bottom causes both the adjacent and the first bottom flaps to pivot into the position substantially perpendicular to the first sidewall when the adjacent sidewall is pivoted with respect to the first sidewall.  
         [0009]     The container may be assembled, either manually or automatically, from a knockdown state. The knockdown state includes first and second knockdown walls positionable in overlying relation with one another and pivotably attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners. The first knockdown wall comprises at least two of the sidewalls positioned substantially in a first plane, the second knockdown wall comprises at least another two of the sidewalls positioned substantially in a second plane in facing relation substantially parallel with the first plane.  
         [0010]     Preferably, one of the sidewalls includes a removable portion. The removable portion has a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in the one sidewall. The removable portion is separable from the one sidewall thereby providing access to the central space.  
         [0011]     The container also comprises a plurality of top flaps. Each of the top flaps is pivotably attached to one of the sidewalls along its top edge. The top flaps are pivotable about the top edges to a position substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls to enclose the central space.  
         [0012]     In a preferred embodiment, the container comprises four bottom flaps, the bottom flaps being arranged in overlapping relation so as to form a crash type bottom when the bottom flaps are in the position substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container according to the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a blank used to form the container shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a partially formed container using the blank shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the container shown in a knockdown state;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are plan views of the container being assembled from the knockdown state; and  
         [0018]      FIGS. 7 and 7 A are sectional views taken at line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container  10  according to the invention. Corrugated cardboard is the preferred material for containers such as  10 , but other paper or polymer materials are also feasible.  
         [0020]     Container  10  includes a plurality of sidewalls  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  attached to one another end to end. The sidewalls are preferably pivotably attached to one another to allow them to be folded flat into a knockdown state (shown in  FIG. 4  and described below) and unfolded into spaced apart relation surrounding a central space  20  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]     Sidewalls  14  and  18  have respective top edges  14   a  and  18   a  to which top flaps  22  and  24  are attached. The top flaps  22  and  24  are pivotable about the respective top edges  14   a  and  18   a  to allow the container to be opened to receive goods into central space  20 , and closed to seal the goods within the container. Preferably, sidewall  14  has a removable portion  26  defined by a plurality of perforations  28  forming a perimeter  30  of the portion  26 . The removable portion  26  is separable from sidewall  14  manually by tearing it away from the sidewall to provide access to the central space  20 . This feature is particularly advantageous for displaying the goods within the container, thereby using the container as a display device to promote retail sales.  
         [0022]     All of the sidewalls  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  have respective bottom edges  12   b ,  14   b ,  16   b  and  18   b  to which bottom flaps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  are attached. The bottom flaps are pivotable about the bottom edges of the sidewalls to allow the container to assume the knockdown state shown in  FIG. 4 . The bottom flaps  32 - 38  pivot between the knockdown position, wherein they are folded within the central space  20  substantially parallel to the sidewalls  12 - 18  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) into the assembled position, shown in  FIG. 6 , wherein the bottom flaps are substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls. By positioning the bottom flaps within the central space  20  in the knockdown state, the width of the container in the knockdown state is substantially reduced. Preferably, as clearly illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , bottom flaps  32 - 38  are arranged in overlapping relation in the manner of a 1-2-3-4 or “crash” bottom as is known in the container art.  
         [0023]     Container  10  is preferably constructed from a blank  40 , shown in  FIG. 2 . Blank  40  is cut from a continuous web of material, preferably using die cutting techniques. The sidewalls  12 - 14  are defined by fold lines  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48  marking the ends of the sidewalls, the fold lines being regions of reduced bending flexibility created by scoring or perforating regions of the blank to permit it to fold or pivot easily about the fold line. Similarly, top flaps  22  and  24  are defined by respective fold lines  50  and  52  positioned between them and the respective sidewalls  14  and  18  to which they are attached. Each bottom flap  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  has its respective fold line  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  positioned between it and the respective sidewall to which it is attached.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates how the container is constructed from the blank  40 . Bottom flaps  32 - 38  are pivoted into position substantially perpendicular to sidewalls  12 - 18  and then the sidewalls are pivoted relatively to one another to bring the bottom flaps into overlapping configuration to form the type of bottom desired, in this example, a crash type bottom. Sidewall  18  is attached to sidewall  16  using a tab  62  to which adhesive  64  is applied, the tab being defined by the fold line  46  which allows the sidewalls  16  and  18  joined by the tab to pivot relatively to one another.  
         [0025]     Preferably, the bottom flaps are attached to one another in a manner that will allow them to pivot from their folded position within central space  20  into the position perpendicular to the sidewalls to form the container bottom in response to the sidewalls pivoting relatively to one another into spaced relation when the container is assembled. To this end, as shown in  FIG. 3 , bottom flap  32  is attached in overlapping relation to a foldable portion  38   a  of bottom flap  38 . The foldable portion  34   a  is demarcated by a fold line  66  extending substantially diagonally across the bottom flap  38 . Adhesive  64 , for example, a hot-melt type, is preferably used to attach the flaps together. Similarly, bottom flap  36  is attached in overlapping relation to a foldable portion  34   a  of bottom flap  34 , the foldable portion being again defined by a fold line  68 . By attaching bottom flaps  32  and  36  to respective foldable portions  38   a  and  34   a  of adjacent bottom flaps  38  and  34 , the bottom flaps are pivotably attached to one another. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 5 , when, for example, opposite sidewalls  14  and  18  are moved into spaced apart relation to one another by pivoting the sidewalls  12 - 18  about their respective fold lines  42 - 48  in the manner of a four-bar linkage, the bottom flap  34  pulls on the bottom flap  36 , and the bottom flap  38  pulls on the bottom flap  32 , resulting in the pivoting of the bottom flaps from a folded position within central space  20  to the position substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls  12 - 18  as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0026]     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the container  10  includes a pair of support surfaces  70  and  72 . Support surface  70  is attached along top edge  16   a  of sidewall  16  and is pivotable about this edge from a position substantially co-planar with sidewall  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , into a position substantially perpendicular to the sidewall, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . Similarly, support surface  72  is attached along top edge  12   a  of sidewall  12  and can be pivoted between positions similarly to support surface  70 .  
         [0027]     As best shown in  FIG. 3 , a support panel  74  is attached between support surface  70  and bottom flap  36 . Attachment is preferably effected using an adhesive coated tab  76  attached to the support panel. A similar construction is used for support surface  72 , wherein a support panel  78  having adhesive coated tab  80  is shown being folded into engagement with bottom flap  32 .  
         [0028]     The support surfaces  70  and  72 , in conjunction with their support panels  74  and  78 , provide a reinforced structure at opposite ends of the container  10  that provides added strength to support similar containers stacked on top of the container  10 . This is advantageous for both shipping and display, because it allows multiple containers to be stacked without fear of crushing the lowermost containers.  
         [0029]     The support panels  74  and  78  are pivotably attached to their respective support surfaces  70  and  72  as well as to their respective bottom flaps  36  and  32 , and in conjunction with sidewalls  12  and  16 , they form a four-bar linkage as illustrated for one of the assemblies in  FIGS. 7 and 7 A. The pivotable nature of the four-bar linkage is such that it allows the support surface  70  to pivot between a position substantially co-planar with the sidewall  16  and a position substantially perpendicular to the sidewall (see  FIG. 7 ) in response to pivoting motion of the bottom flap  36  to which the support panel  74  is attached.  FIG. 7A  illustrates an intermediate position assumed by the various components during transition between positions and describes the operation of both support surfaces  70  and  72  in relation to pivoting of their respective bottom flaps  36  and  32  occasioned by the pivoting of sidewalls  12 - 18  relatively to one another to assemble the container from the knockdown state shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0030]     The knockdown configuration is advantageous because it allows the container  10  to be shipped to a user in a collapsed configuration wherein each container occupies only a fraction of the volume that it can hold when assembled from the knockdown. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the knockdown state  82  comprises a first knockdown wall  84  formed by sidewalls  16  and  18  in a substantially co-planar relation with one another. A second knockdown wall  86 , partially shown, is formed from sidewalls  12  and  14  positioned co-planar with respect to one another. The knockdown walls are joined at knockdown corners  88  and  90 , which also coincide with fold lines  48  and  44  respectively. As may be inferred from  FIG. 5 , when container  10  is in the knockdown state, the bottom flaps  32 - 38  and the support panels  74  and  78  are positioned within the central space  20  between the sidewalls  12 - 18 .  
         [0031]     After containers  10  are shipped to the user, they are assembled by the user from the knockdown state either manually or by machine. Assembly is described with reference to  FIGS. 4 through 7 . In  FIG. 4 , the container  10  is in the knockdown state with knockdown walls  84  and  86  in overlying relation with one another. The knockdown walls are separated from one another by pivoting the sidewalls  12 - 18  about fold lines  42 - 48  to bring the sidewalls into spaced apart relation as shown in  FIG. 5 . The sidewalls pivot in the manner of a four-bar linkage. Pivoting of the sidewalls in turn causes the bottom flaps  34  and  38  to draw the respective flaps  36  and  32  to which they are attached from a position between the sidewalls into the position shown in  FIG. 6 , wherein the bottom flaps are substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls and form the bottom of the container. As the bottom flaps  32  and  36  pivot they draw the support panels  78  and  74  toward the bottom of the container, causing the support surfaces  72  and  70  to pivot from their position substantially co-planar with sidewalls  16  and  12  to an orientation substantially perpendicular to theses sidewalls. The now opened central space  20  of the container is next filled with goods, and the top flaps  22  and  24  are folded over and sealed to close container  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0032]     Containers according to the invention, wherein the bottom flaps are positioned within a central space between the sidewalls when the container is in the knockdown state, offer a significant reduction in width over prior art containers, wherein the bottom flaps extend outwardly when in the knockdown state. The reduction in size lends even greater efficiency and economy to the shipment of the containers to their users in the knockdown state.