Container for books and articles

• US 4,215,780 A
• Filed: 11/17/1978
• Issued: 08/05/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jefferson Smurfit Corporation (Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alton Box Board Company
• Inventors: Carlson, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Herbert F.
• Application Number:
  US05/961,659
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 206/424, 206/472, 206/492, 229/40, 229/41 R, 229/41 B
• US Class Current: 206/434
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0245 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps, to form a sunken or hollow end wall, e.g. for the packaging of books internal supporting elements B65D5/50
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5002 Integral elements for containers having tubular body walls

Abstract

Container for books and articles of like shape formed having top, bottom, first and second side, and closure panels that are foldably connected together to form an article encompassing sleeve, end flaps created of three subpanels forming protective end cells at each end of the container, reinforcing flaps connecting to the side of each first side panel and arranged for extending into the formed air cell to reinforce it and the container'"'"'s ability to resist compressive forces, and end wall panels connecting to each end of the top panel for providing closure to the end cells and the container at its ends. Reinforcing tabs are interconnected between a side of the end wall panels and the sides of the second side panel and folded to a bellows configuration for further reinforcement of the created end cells as the container is formed into its usable configuration.

Claims

1. A container for books and articles of like shape comprising a sheet of foldable board having top, bottom, first and second side panels, and closure panels foldably connected to form and article-encompasing sleeve of length greater than the article, said bottom panel having opposite end flaps for forming end cells extending approximately the width thereof, each end cell formed having three subpanels that extend for erection inwardly of the ends of the top and bottom panels for forming said air cells thereat, end wall panels foldably connecting with each end of the top panel, and said end wall panels disposed for providing closure for the formed end cells at each end of the container, the improvement which comprises, a reinforcing means foldably secured to each end of each side panel, the configuration of the reinforcing means of the first of said side panels being distinctively dissimilar to the configuration of the reinforcing means of the second of said side panels, and said means disposed for arrangement within their proximate formed end cells at each end thereof to provide for cell reinforcement and to enhance the top-to-bottom panel compressive strength of the container at each of its ends, the reinforcing means connecting at the ends of first side panel comprising reinforcing flaps, with a reinforcing flap connecting with each end of the said first side panel and extending for a distance across the length of and into a formed end cell, the reinforcing means connecting with the ends of the second side panel comprising a pair of tabs, one tab of each pair foldably connecting with the end edge of the said second side panel, the other tab of each pair foldably connecting with the approximate side edge of the said end wall panel, and each of said pair of tabs being foldably connected together along a fold line and to provide for their collapsing into the bellows form for locating within the formed end cell and enhancing its reinforcement after folding of the container into its usable configuration.

2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said reinforcing flaps extend more than half way across the width of the formed air cells.

3. The invention of claim 1 and wherein each reinforcing means comprises a pair of tabs, one tab of each pair foldably connecting with the end edge of the second side panel, the other tab of each pair foldably connecting with the proximate side edge of the said end wall panel, and each said pair of tabs being foldably connected together along a fold line to provide for their collapsing into the bellows form for locating within the formed air cell and embracing its reinforcement after folding of the container into its usable configuration.

4. The invention of claim 1 and wherein the said reinforcing flaps projecting from the first side panel, and the bellows form reinforcing means operatively associated with the said second side panel furnish reinforcement to opposite ends of the container and within each of the formed end cells.

5. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said reinforcing flaps are tapered along their full length to facilitate their insertion within the end cells during container formation.

6. The invention of claim 1 and including a fold line extending fully across the midpoint of the foldable board forming the container and useful for creasing of the container in the blank form to compensate for board warpage before its formation into the said container form.

7. The invention of claim 1 and wherein the three subpanels of each end flap are separated by fold lines, and there being a slot formed at the ends of each fold line between subpanels at least along one side of each end flap.

8. The invention of claim 7 and wherein there being a slot formed at the end of each fold line between subpanels along both sides of each end flap.

9. A blank for a container for shipping books and articles of like shape comprising a unitary sheet of foldable board having bottom, first side, top, second side panels, and closure panels all foldably connected together along parallel fold lines and capable of being folded into an article-encompassing sleeve of length greater than the article to be packaged, end flaps connecting to each end of the said bottom panel, each end flap being formed into three subpanels connected by fold lines and which when folded are capable of forming end cells at the ends of the container, end wall panels foldably connecting with each end of the top panel, said end wall panels disposed for providing closure for the formed end cells at each end of the container, reinforcing means structurally connected to each end of the first and second side panels and when folded capable of inserting within and reinforcing the formed end cells and the container against the top-to-bottom panel compressive forces, the reinforcing means connected to the first side panel having a configuration distinctively dissimilar to the configuration of the reinforcing means connected to the second side panel, siad reinforcing means at each end of the first side panel comprising a reinforcing flap foldably connected therewith along a fold line, said reinforcing means at the end of the second panel comprising a pair of tabs foldably connected therewith, one tab of each pair connecting with each end of said second side panel, and the other tab of each pair connecting with the proximate edge of the end wall panel, said pair of tabs being connected together along a fold line, whereby each said pair of tabs being capable of collapsing into the bellows form for disposition within and reinforcing the proximate end cell against top-two-bottom compressive forces when the container is folded from the blank form into its usable configuration.

10. The invention of claim 9 and including reinforcing means also connecting at the ends of the other said side panel, said reinforcing means comprising a flap foldably connecting to the end of said side panel and in the blank form being arranged aligned therewith.

11. The invention of claim 10 and including a fold line extending fully across the midpoint of the blank for the container and useful for creasing the said container in the blank form to compensate for board warpage before its formation into a container.

12. The blank of claim 10 and wherein there being a slot formed at the end of at least one of the fold lines formed between subpanels of the end flaps for providing clearance for the contiguous component of any article to be packaged within the container when folded into its usable configuration.