Economical, stackable container for retail goods

• US 20030010816A1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Original Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Inventors: Jackson, Keith A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,808,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/169
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/003 having ledges formed by extensions of the side walls B65D5/0045 and B65D5/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/918 Corner construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/939 Container made of corrugated paper or corrugated paperboard

Abstract

A container for transporting meat, produce, and other goods contains a bottom wall, side walls, and end walls. The end walls include hinged platform structures movable between a closed position and an open position. The closed position enables stable stacking of multiple containers and the open position allows easy access to the interior of the container for loading and unloading. The hinged platforms further add stability to the container walls when in the closed position.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel;

first and second end panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel;

a first hinged platform structure attached to said first end panel along a first hinge offset from a top of said container, said first hinged platform structure being integral with said first end panel; and

a second hinged platform structure attached to said second end panel along a second hinge offset from a top of said container, said second hinged platform structure being integral with said second end panel.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said first hinged platform structure comprises a first top platform, a first end folding flap, and first and second side reinforcement flaps, and said second hinged platform structure comprises a second top platform, a second end folding flap, and third and fourth side reinforcement flaps.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein said first hinged platform structure further comprises first and second minor platform panels, and said second hinged platform structure further comprises third and fourth minor platform panels, said first and second minor platform panels being above said first top platform and said third and fourth minor platform panels being above said second top platform.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein said first hinged platform structure further comprises first and second minor platform panels, and said second hinged platform structure further comprises third and fourth minor platform panels, said first and second minor platform panels being under said first top platform and said third and fourth minor platform panels being below said second top platform.

5. The container of claim 1, further comprising a first handhold below said first hinge in said first end panel and a second handhold below said second hinge in said second end panel.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein said first hinged platform structure comprises a rollover panel having rollover tabs positioned to fit into rollover tab receptacles.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein said container comprises corrugated fiberboard and said first and second side panels contain vertically corrugated fiberboard.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein said top of said first and second side panels and said first and second hinged platforms are angled away from the inside of said container.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein said first and second hinged platforms each include a pair of cornered tabs positioned to receive a bottom of a stacked container.

10. A blank for forming a container, said blank being a single flat piece of corrugated fiberboard cut and scored to provide:

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels extending outwardly from said bottom panel;

first and second end panels extending outwardly from said bottom panel;

a first end folding flap extending outwardly from said first end panel;

a second end folding flap extending outwardly from said second end panel;

first and second top platforms extending outwardly respectively from said first and second end folding flaps;

first and second side reinforcement flaps extending outwardly from said first end folding flap;

third and fourth side reinforcement flaps extending outwardly from said second end folding flap; and

first, second, third, and fourth minor platform panels extending outwardly respectively from said first, second, third, and fourth side reinforcement flaps.

11. The blank of claim 10, further comprising first and second minor interior wall flaps extending from said first side panel and third and fourth minor interior wall flaps extending from said second side panel.

12. The blank of claim 10, further comprising a first hinge crease between said first end panel and said first end folding flap and a second hinge crease between said second end panel and said second end folding flap.

13. The blank of claim 12, further comprising a first handhold cut into said first end folding flap and a second handhold cut into said second end folding flap.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising placing adhesive between said first and second minor interior wall flaps and said first end panel and placing adhesive between said third and fourth minor interior wall flaps and said second end panel.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising placing adhesive between said first and second minor platform panels and said first top platform and placing adhesive between said third and fourth minor platform panels and said second top platform.

19. The container of claim 18, wherein said container is comprised of corrugated fiberboard and said first and second side panels contain vertically corrugated fiberboard.

20. The container of claim 19, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth minor interior wall flaps contain vertically corrugated fiberboard.

21. The container of claim 18, further comprising at least two stacking tabs extending upwardly from each of said side panels.

22. The container of claim 21, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth minor platform panels are each provided with stacking tab cutouts aligned with said stacking tabs.

23. The container of claim 18, further comprising first and second side shoulder walls extending inwardly respectively from said first and second side panels.

14. A method of forming a container, comprising:

providing a blank cut and scored to provide;

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels extending outwardly from said bottom panel;

first and second minor interior wall flaps extending outwardly from said first side panel;

third and fourth minor interior wall flaps extending outwardly from said second side panel;

first and second end panels extending outwardly from said bottom panel;

a first end folding flap extending outwardly from said first end panel;

a second end folding flap extending outwardly from said second end panel;

first and second top platforms extending outwardly respectively from said first and second end folding flaps;

first and second side reinforcement flaps extending outwardly from said first end folding flap;

third and fourth side reinforcement flaps extending outwardly from said second end folding flap; and

first, second, third, and fourth minor platform panels extending outwardly respectively from said first, second, third, and fourth side reinforcement flaps;

folding said first and second side panels upwardly into positions approximately orthogonal to said bottom panel;

folding said first, second, third, and fourth interior wall flaps inwardly into positions approximately orthogonal to said first and second side panels;

folding said first and second end panels upwardly into positions approximately orthogonal to said bottom panel;

folding said first and second top panels downwardly into positions approximately parallel to said bottom panel;

folding said first, second, third, and fourth side reinforcement flaps inwardly into positions approximately parallel with said first side panel and said second side panel; and

folding said first, second, third, and fourth minor platform panels downwardly and inwardly into positions approximately parallel with said bottom panel.

17. A method of using a container, comprising:

providing a container having end walls, with hinged platform structures attached to said end walls along a hinge offset from a top of said container;

moving said hinged platform structures to an open position;

loading said container; and

closing said hinged platform structures to a closed position.

18. A container, comprising:

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel;

first and second end panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel;

first and second minor interior wall flaps respectively extending inwardly from said first and second side panels and abutting said first end panel;

third and fourth minor interior wall flaps respectively extending inwardly from said first and second side panels and abutting said second end panel;

a first hinged platform structure attached to said first end panel along a first hinge offset from a top of said container, said first hinged platform structure comprising a first end folding flap, a first top platform extending inwardly from said first end folding flap, first and second minor platform panels positioned along the top of said first top platform, and first and second side reinforcement flaps extending from said first end folding flap respectively to said first and second minor platform panels; and

a second hinged platform structure attached to said second end panel along a second hinge offset from a top of said container, said second hinged platform structure comprising a second end folding flap, a second top platform extending inwardly from said second end folding flap, third and fourth minor platform panels positioned along the top of said second top platform, and third and fourth side reinforcement flaps extending from said second end folding flap respectively to said third and fourth minor platform panels.