Patent ID: 6935504

Claim:
A container, formed from an articulated, initially flat blank of container material, said container comprising: a bottom panel; at least one side panel, emanating from a side edge region of the bottom panel and having a first fold line extending at least partially therebetween; at least one end panel, emanating from an end edge region of the bottom panel and having a second fold line extending at least partially therebetween, and the second fold line extending in an intersecting direction with respect to the first fold line; at least one partial top panel, disposed opposite and at least substantially parallel to the bottom panel; and a passive interlock structure disposed in the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, for enabling at least a region of the bottom panel of a first such container to be complementarily interfitted with at least a region of an at least partial top panel of a second such container, the passive interlock structure being operably configured so that a first such container can be stacked in an aligned manner atop a second such container, without requiring the first container to be raised substantially above, precisely aligned with and then placed directly down upon the second container, the passive interlock structure further inhibiting relative lateral movement therebetween the first and second containers, once such aligned stacking is attained, said passive interlock structure comprising: at least one recess formed in at least one of the bottom panel and the at least partial ton panel; and at least one substantially planar projection formed in at least one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, wherein at least one of the at least one recess and the at least one substantially planar projection is formed by a first secondary fold line extending at an acute angle with respect to one of the first fold line and the second fold line.