Abstract:
The embodiments of the present invention provide a blank of foldable material that configured to form a container. When formed, the container is completely self-locking. The blank is configured to form a container that includes four corner posts. Each corner post includes multiple wall thickness and a top panel. The multi-wall corners provide increased strength. Further, each respective top panel maintains the corner walls relative positions. Cut-outs are formed in the side and/or end panel to allow easy access to good placed in the container. This blank and container design is useful for storing and displaying good in wholesale or retail markets, as well as elsewhere.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates 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 drawings.  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is 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 assembly according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembly according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembly according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 6  is yet another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembly according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 7  is still another perspective view of a partially assembled container assembly according to an aspect of the present invention; and,  
         [0009]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the assembled container according to an aspect of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention provides a blank and resulting container for holding any variety of goods. By way of overview and with references to  FIGS. 1-8 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a single piece blank  20  of foldable material arranged to form a container  60 . Specific details of the blank  20  and container  60  are described with more particularity below.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts the blank  20  used to form the 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 and the like. Cellulose based materials useful in the present invention come in many forms such as fibreboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard. The blank  20  is cut, 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, scored lines as dashed lines, and lines of perforations as broken lines.  
         [0012]     With respect to  FIG. 1 , the blank includes a bottom panel  22 , opposed side panels  24  and opposed end panels  26 . The bottom panel is generally rectangular in shape and is connected with the side panels along a fold line  23 . The bottom panel is connected with the end panels  26  along a fold line  25 . The bottom panel  22  also includes a plurality of slots  40  disposed along the fold line  23 .  
         [0013]     The side panel  24  is generally U-shaped. The side panel  24  is connected to a side panel locking flap  36  along a fold line  29  opposite fold line  23 . An embodiment, the fold line  29  includes two spaced-apart fold lines, the spacing being known to those skilled in the art as necessary to permit the locking nature of the flap when the container  60  is formed. The side panel  24  also includes a top panel  34  which is connected to the side panel along fold line  37 . The top panel  34  is substantially triangular in shape and is connected with an inner end panel  32  along a fold line  35 . The inner end panel  32  is substantially rectangular in shape and is connected to an inner side panel  30  along a fold line  33 . Fold lines  33  and  35  are substantially perpendicular to one another. Additionally, fold lines  33  and  37  are substantially parallel to one another. An inner side panel is connected with the inner end panel  32 . The inner side panel  30  appears to be of a generally L-shaped nature and includes a cut-out portion defined along cut lines  43 ,  31  and  39 .  
         [0014]     End panel  26 , which is connected with bottom panel  22  along a fold line  25 , is substantially U-shaped as well. The U-shape defines a cut-out region  44  as defined by cut line  45 . The end panel  26  is connected with an end panel flap  28 , which is connected with the end panel along a fold line  27 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , fold lines  27  and  25  are substantially perpendicular to one another. End panel flap  28  is separate from side panel  24  by a cut line  39 . Additionally, end panel flap  28  is separate from inner side panel  30  by a cut line  31 . As such end panel flap  28  is connected only with the end panel  26 . The inner side panel  30 , inner end panel  32  and top panel  34  all define a corner post assembly  50  that, when the blank  20  is folded into the container  60 , the corner post assembly  50  provides additional stacking support and rigidity to the container.  
         [0015]     In order to further illustrate the various aspects of the embodiments,  FIGS. 2 through 8  show the blank  20  being erected into the container  60 .  
         [0016]     With specific reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the assembly of the container  60  is initiated by folding the end panels and the end panel flap upwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold line  25 . The end panel flap  28  may then be folded inwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold line  27 .  
         [0017]     As can best be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the next step in the box erection process is to fold side panels  24  inwardly approximately 90 degrees such that the side panel  24  is juxtaposed to end panel flap  28 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , this will result in the corner post assembly  50  hanging substantially free, and is only connected to the side panel  24  along fold line  37 . The corner post assembly  50  may then be folded inwardly as best depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Corner post assembly  50  is folded inwardly by bringing the corner post assembly to the inside of the corner created by the end panel  26  and end panel flap  28 . Specifically, the inner side panel  30  and the inner end panel  32  are rotated inwardly such that the inner end panel  32  is juxtaposed an inner surface of the end panel  26 , and the inner side panel  30  is juxtaposed an inner surface of end panel flap  28  and an inner surface of side panel  24 . The cut-out resulting from cut lines  43 ,  39  and  31  discussed above creates a profile on the inner side panel  30  such that when the corner post assembly  50  is folded inwardly as disclosed herein, the profile of that cut-out substantially matches the U-shaped cut-out of side panel  24 , as best seen in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0018]     With specific reference to  FIG. 7 , the locking of the various panels to form the container  60  is illustrated. Specifically, when the various corner post assemblies  50  are folded inwardly to bring the various panels into the relationship shown in  FIG. 7 , the inner side panels  30  are locked into place by inserting the inner side panel locking tab  42  into the respective portions of slots  40  in the bottom panel. This substantially locks the side panels  24  and end panels  26  together. It should be noted that as a result of folding the post assembly  50  inwardly, the end panel flap  28  is sandwiched between the inner side panel  30  and side panel  24 . Even at this stage of erection, the container  60  is quite stable and structurally sound. To complete the locking arrangement, the side panel locking flap  36  is folded inwardly over the side panel  24  and a portion of the inner side panel  30 . The side panel locking flap  36  is folded approximately 180 degrees over these various panels such that the side panel locking flap tabs  38  may be inserted into respective slots  40  in the bottom panel.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  depicts the container  60  that results from the assembly of blank  20 . As can be seen in this FIGURE, the container  60  includes cut-out portions on all the side and end panels that allow viewing or access to any products stored in between. Additionally, the container  60  includes reinforced, multi-post corner panels, in each of its four corners that provide significant structural strength for this container  60 . Additionally, the top panels  34  add to the rigidity of the container by helping to control the relative motions of the side panels  24  and end panels  26 . Also top panel  34  provides a stacking or a bearing surface for successive containers to be stacked vertically on top of one another (not shown). The container  60  as shown is simple to manufacture and easy to assemble and may be a design of considerable usage in our club stores or bulk stores where products are sold in large quantities on the open floor. However, this design is also useful in any variety of retail/wholesale environments.  
         [0020]     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 the 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.