Plastic reinforced produce container

• US 3,935,991 A
• Filed: 03/17/1975
• Issued: 02/03/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: A & E Plastik PAK Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A & E Plastik PAK Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Crane, Walton B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bernstein, Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US05/559,088
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 229/23 R, 229/23 A, 229/34 R, 229/49, 229/44 R, 229/45, 217/69
• US Class Current: 206/509
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/005 Separate or attached stacking elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/445 Reinforcements formed separately from the container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/919 Reinforced wall

Abstract

A reinforced paperboard produce container having reinforcing end frames of molded thermosetting plastic or other suitably rigid construction secured to the outer sides of the end walls of a paperboard container body with edge flanges on the frames projecting inwardly over the upper end wall edges and under the bottom wall of the body to provide upper and lower stacking edges. The reinforced containers are of sufficient strength, and interfit in such manner, that a number of them may be stacked with ample strength and stability in vertical columns. The lower stacking edges are recessed or bevelled to permit lifting of the container by a clamp truck. The container has hinged lids or cover panels formed with tabs which engage with formations on the end frames to alternatively releasably lock the lids in closed, or open, folded away positions. The containers replace wood containers previously used, and incorporate useful arrangements for latching the lids closed, for shipment, or open, for display of the produce.

Claims

1. In a generally rectangular container with rigid rectangular, reinforcing end frames at opposite ends thereof, the container having rectangular bottom, opposed side and end walls, and lids which are respectively hinged to the upper edges of said opposed side walls, said rectangular end frames comprising integral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flanges parallel with the end walls of the container and lying thereadjacent, and rectangular integral upper, lower and side flanges, integral with and projecting perpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the outer margins thereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps receiving therein the corresponding end walls of the container and end portions of said bottom walls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lying closely adjacent said side walls of said container:

horizontal upwardly facing and downwardly facing surface areas formed on the exterior sides of said upper and lower perpendicular flanges,

the upwardly facing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges being at substantially the level of the underside of the hinged lids when said lids are closed, and

said lids having substantially coplanar tabs which project laterally and overlie said upwardly facing surface area on said upper perpendicular flanges,

two hooks mounted on the upper perpendicular flange of each end frame, said hooks facing toward one another, and

said laterally projecting tabs having edge shoulders facing generally in the direction of the hinge line of the corresponding lid and being adapted for engagement in the throats of said hooks, and said edge shoulders, when unengaged with said hooks, normally falling short of the forward extremities of said hooks, and thereafter recede into said throats by resilient return flexure of said side wall when said manual stress is relieved.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein:

said throats of said hooks taper inwardly and downwardly and lead to portions of said horizontal upwardly facing area on said upper perpendicular flange.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, including:

tapered surfaces on the ends of said hooks, over said throats, to facilitate entry of said lid tabs downward and into said throats.