Picnic cooler container

• US 4,328,923 A
• Filed: 10/22/1979
• Issued: 05/11/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Riverwood International USA Inc (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Johns Manville Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Graser, Earl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US06/086,867
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 229/31 R, 229/33, 229/31 FS, 229/DIG. 3, 206/45.29
• US Class Current: 229/101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0016 by tabs protruding from one end and co-operating with openings at the other end
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00635 Means for unlocking, e.g. for grasping and tearing the glued overlapping edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00833 Other details of wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0005 of variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A picnic cooler container is disclosed which is utilized in packaging a plurality of multiple articles such as cans of beverage or the like. The cans are inserted into the container through the ends of the container package. The container is designed to be opened by the purchaser of the container with the container being designed to receive a quantity of bulk ice placed on top of the plurality of multiple articles. The container comprises a plurality of side and end panels which have hingedly connected thereto side and end flaps which are glued down for shipping and transporting without the ice. The side and end flaps may then be pulled up and formed into an upper water-proof well area which retains the bulk ice on top of the multiple articles packaged in the lower water-proof container area.

Claims

1. A production blank for forming a picnic cooler having a lower beverage can or bottle retaining area and an upper ice retaining area when formed into a complete package, comprising:

(1) the lower beverage can or bottle retaining area formed with;

a. a bottom panel having a plurality of side edges;

b. a pair of opposed lower end panels hingedly attached to two opposed side edges of the bottom panel;

c. a pair of side panels hingedly attached to the remaining two opposed side edges of the bottom panel;

d. means, associated with the lower end panels and the side panels for joining the panels together; and

(2) the upper ice retaining area is formed with;

a. a pair of top side flaps hingedly attached to each side panel;

(1) a first inner glue flap hingedly attached to one of the top side flaps, the first inner glue flap comprising a first elongated panel and a first pair of triangular shaped panels and having hingedly attached thereto on each side thereof a first top gusset panel;

(2) a top end flap hingedly attached to each first top gusset panel;

[a] an upper end panel hingedly attached to one side of each top end flap;

the upper end panels forming a part of the lower retaining area whenever the blank is formed into a package;

(3) a second pair of triangular shaped panels hingedly attached to the other side of each top end flap;

(4) a second elongated panel hingedly attached to the pair of second triangular shaped panels;

[a] an irregular shaped panel hingedly attached to each of the first and second elongated panels;

one side of each of the two irregular shaped panels terminating opposite each other and spaced apart to form a central I-shaped panel which is hingedly attached on one side thereof to the first elongated panel and on the other side thereof to the second elongated panel;

the two top side flaps in combination with the two top end flaps and the first and second inner glue flaps serving as a part of the upper ice retaining area whenever the production blank is formed into a complete package;

the elongated panels and the irregular shaped panels serving as a removable cover to cover the tops of the cans or bottles packed in the cooler.

2. The production blank as defined in claim 1 further comprising the joining means comprising a plurality of gusset panels hingedly attached to the side panels and the lower end panels.

3. The production blank as defined in claim 1 further comprising the lower end panels having applied thereto a pattern of adhesive on the front side of the production blank.

4. The production blank as defined in claim 3 further comprising the first and second inner glue flaps having applied thereto a pattern of adhesive on the back side of the production blank.

5. The production blank as defined in claim 4 further comprising the first inner glue flap having applied thereto at least a spot of adhesive on the front side of the production blank and further comprising one of the top side flaps having applied thereto at least a spot of adhesive on the back side of the production blank.

6. A picnic cooler container for use in packaging a plurality of multiple articles such as cans of beverage, the container having a lower beverage can or bottle retaining area and an upper ice retaining area when formed into a complete package, comprising:

(1) the lower beverage can or bottle retaining area formed with;

a. a bottom panel having a plurality of side edges;

b. a pair of opposed lower end panels hingedly attached to two opposed side edges of the bottom panel;

c. a pair of side panels hingedly attached to the remaining two opposed side edges of the bottom panel;

d. means, associated with the lower end panels and the side panels for joining the panels together; and

(2) the upper ice retaining area formed with;

a. a pair of top side flaps hingedly attached to each side panel;

(1) a first inner glue flap hingedly attached to one of the top side flaps, the first inner glue flap comprising a first elongated panel and a first pair of triangular shaped panels and having hingedly attached thereto on each side thereof a first top gusset panel;

(2) a top end flap hingedly attached to each first top gusset panel;

(a) an upper end panel hingedly attached to one side of each top end flap;

the upper end panels forming a part of the lower retaining area whenever the blank is formed into a package;

(3) a second pair of triangular shaped panels hingedly attached to the other side of each top end flap;

(4) a second elongated panel hingedly attached to the pair of second triangular shaped panels;

(a) an irregular shaped panel hingedly attached to each of the first and second elongated panels;

one side of each of the two irregular shaped panels terminating opposite each other and spaced apart to form a central I-shaped panel which is hingedly attached on one side thereof to the first elongate panel and on the other side thereof to the second elongated panel;

the two top side flaps in combination with the two top end flaps and the first and second inner glue flaps serving as a part of the upper ice retaining area whenever the production blank is formed into a complete package;

the elongated panels and the irregular shaped panels serving as a removable cover to cover the tops of the cans or bottles packed in the picnic cooler.

7. The picnic cooler container as defined in claim 6 further comprising the joining means comprising a plurality of gusset panels hingedly attached to the side panels and the lower end panels.

8. The picnic cooler as defined in claim 6 further comprising the lower end panels having applied thereto a pattern of adhesive on the front side of the production blank used in forming the picnic cooler.

9. A picnic cooler container as defined in claim 8 further comprising the first and second inner glue flaps having applied thereto a pattern of adhesive on the back side of the production blank used in forming the picnic cooler.

10. The picnic cooler container as defined in claim 9 further comprising the first inner glue flap having applied thereto at least a spot of adhesive on the front side of the production blank used in forming the picnic cooler and further comprising one of the top side flaps having applied thereto at least a spot of adhesive on the back side of the production blank used in forming the picnic cooler.