SAG-RESISTANT CONTAINERS AND BLANKS FOR MAKING THE SAME

• US 20170217629A1
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: BUSCEMA, Craig W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,457,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/001 stackable
• 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: B65D 5/20 by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides to form a container body, e.g. of tray-like form B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/443 Integral reinforcements, e.g. folds, flaps double walls B65D5/02

Abstract

A container formed from a blank and a method for constructing the container are described. The container includes a bottom wall, two end walls, each end wall including at least an end panel extending from an end edge of the bottom wall, and two side walls. The container further includes an upper reinforcing assembly at least partially extending from each end panel, and a side reinforcing assembly extending from opposing side edges of each end panel.

Claims

1. A container formed from a blank of sheet material, the container comprising:

a bottom wall;

two opposing end walls, each end wall including at least an end panel extending from an end edge of the bottom wall;

two opposing side walls each extending from an opposing side edge of the bottom wall;

an upper reinforcing assembly at least partially extending from each end panel; and

a side reinforcing assembly extending from opposing side edges of each end panel.

2. The container in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side reinforcing assembly comprises an outer reinforcing panel extending from a side edge of the end panel and an inner reinforcing panel extending from a side edge of the outer reinforcing panel, wherein the outer reinforcing panel is positioned in a substantially face-to-face relationship with the inner reinforcing panel and the inner reinforcing panel is coupled to one of the two side walls.

3. The container in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side reinforcing assembly comprises a reinforcing panel extending from a side edge of the end panel, the reinforcing panel being coupled to one of the two side walls.

4. The container in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper reinforcing assembly comprises a top end flap extending from a top edge of the end panel and a top side flap assembly extending from a side edge of the top end flap, the top side flap assembly comprising an outer flap extending from a side edge of the top end flap and an inner flap extending from a side edge of the outer flap, wherein the outer flap is positioned in a substantially face-to-face relationship with the inner flap, the inner flap being coupled to one of the two side walls.

5. The container in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one side wall of the two side walls includes a side panel extending from a side edge of the bottom wall and a rollover panel extending from a top edge of the side panel, the rollover panel positioned in a substantially face-to-face relationship with the side panel, and wherein the side panel includes at least one cutout configured to receive the top side flap assembly such that the top side flap assembly is coupled to the rollover panel.

6. The container in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper reinforcing assembly comprises a top end flap extending from a top edge of the end panel and a top side flap extending from a side edge of the top end flap, the top side flap being coupled to one of the two side walls.

7. The container in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one side wall of the two side walls includes a side panel extending from a side edge of the bottom wall and a rollover panel extending from a top edge of the side panel, the rollover panel positioned in a substantially face-to-face relationship with the side panel.

8. A blank of sheet material for constructing a container, said blank comprising:

a bottom panel;

a plurality of side panels extending from the bottom panel, the plurality of side panels including at least;

a first end panel extending from a first end edge of the bottom panel; and

a first side panel extending from a first side edge of the bottom panel;

a first side reinforcing assembly extending from a first side edge of the first end panel; and

a first upper reinforcing assembly at least partially extending from a first end edge of the first end panel.

9. The blank in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first side reinforcing assembly comprises:

a first outer reinforcing panel extending from a first side edge of the first end panel; and

a first inner reinforcing panel extending from the first outer reinforcing panel.

10. The blank in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first side reinforcing assembly comprises a reinforcing panel.

11. The blank in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first upper reinforcing assembly comprises:

a top end flap extending from an end edge of the end panel, and

a top side flap assembly comprising;

an outer flap extending from a side edge of the top end flap; and

an inner flap extending from a side edge of the outer flap.

12. The blank in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first upper reinforcing assembly comprises:

a top end flap extending from an end edge of the end panel; and

a top side flap extending from a side edge of the top end flap.

13. The blank in accordance with claim 8, wherein the blank further comprises a first rollover panel extending from a side edge of the first side panel, the first rollover panel configured to be positioned in an overlying relationship with first side panel when the container is constructed from the blank.

14. The blank in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first upper reinforcing assembly comprises a top end flap extending from an end edge of the end panel, and a top side flap assembly, and wherein the first side panel includes at least one cutout window, the cutout window configured to receive the top side flap assembly such that the top side flap assembly is coupled to the rollover panel when the container is erected.

15. A method for forming a container from a blank, the blank including a bottom panel, two opposing end panels each extending from an end edge of the bottom panel, two opposing side panels each extending from a side edge of the bottom panel, an upper reinforcing assembly at least partially extending from each end panel, and a side reinforcing assembly extending from opposing side edge of each end panel, the method comprising:

rotating each end panel inwardly into a substantially perpendicular relationship with the bottom panel;

rotating each side panel into a substantially perpendicular relationship with the bottom panel;

rotating the side reinforcing assembly into a substantially perpendicular relationship with one of the two end panels;

rotating the upper reinforcing assembly into a substantially perpendicular relationship with one of the two end panels;

securing the side reinforcing assembly and the upper reinforcing assembly to at least one of the two side panels to form the container.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the side reinforcing assembly further includes an outer reinforcing panel and an inner reinforcing panel, said method further comprising rotating the inner reinforcing panel toward an interior surface of the outer reinforcing panel, said rotating aligning the inner reinforcing panel and the outer reinforcing panel in a substantially face-to-face relationship.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the side reinforcing assembly further includes a reinforcing panel, said method further including securing the reinforcing panel to one of the two side walls.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the upper reinforcing assembly further includes a top end flap and a top side flap assembly, the top side flap assembly including an outer flap and an inner flap, said method further comprising rotating the inner flap toward an interior surface of the outer flap, said rotating aligning the inner flap and the outer flap in a substantially face-to-face relationship.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the upper reinforcing assembly further includes a top end flap and a top side flap, said method further comprising rotating the top side flap into a substantially perpendicular relationship with the top end flap.

20. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the blank further includes at least one rollover panel extending from a top edge of the side panel, said method further comprising rotating the at least one rollover panel toward an interior surface of the side panel, said rotating aligning the rollover panel and the side panel into a substantially face-to-face relationship.