Fiberboard flat with joined strengthened corners for setting up into an angular tray and the set-up tray

• US 4,607,785 A
• Filed: 04/19/1985
• Issued: 08/26/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Willamette Industries Delaware Oh
• Original Assignee: Williamette Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Croley, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US06/724,868
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 229/41 R, 229/41 B, 229/41 C, 229/41 D, 229/32, 229/33, 229/35, 229/36, 229/30, 229/31 R
• US Class Current: 229/117.07
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2033 polygonal having more than four sides, e.g. hexagonal, octogonal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3642 the secured corners presenting diagonal, bissecting or similar folding lines, the central panel presenting no folding line

Abstract

A flat of fiberboard in knocked-down form for setting up into a tray which has strengthened corners. The flat consists of laminated strength-producing connecting corner tabs between hinged side-wall forming flaps. The tabs are formed on the ends of the flaps and some of the flaps are provided with angular fold lines which provide foldable sections in these flaps, the fold lines extending from the flap hinge lines of the respective flaps to a point within the flaps and a slit being provided from that point in each flap to the outer edge of the flap to permit folding of the foldable flap sections.

Claims

1. A flat for use in setting up a tray-like article which has a substantially flat-wall with side walls at its periphery that are angualarly disposed relative to each other and connected at the angular joints therebetween, said flat comprising:

a substantially flat-wall portion of angular peripheral outline having scored hinge fold lines adjacent all its edges;

side-wall producing flaps attached to said flat wall portion around its periphery at the respective scored hinge fold lines and having opposed ends with their respective ends adjacent each and their respective outer edges free;

said flaps comprising first and second flaps around the periphery of said flat-wall portion with the first flaps extending outwardly from their respective scored hinge fold lines in a substantially common plane with said flat-wall portion and with the second flaps turned inwardly about their respective scored hinge fold lines into overlapping relationship with said flat-wall portion;

structures at each joint for connecting together said adjacent ends of said first and second flaps and comprising;

an outwardly-extending corner tab on the said end of the second flap;

an inwardly-folded connecting flap section on the said end of the first flap carrying an inwardly-extending corner tab which is in superimposed relationship and in flat contact with said second flap and is secured thereto;

said outwardly-extending corner tab extending outwardly in superimposed relationship and in flat contact with inwardly-folded connecting flap section and being secured thereto;

said outwardly-extending corner tab being connected to said second flap at a scored corner joint fold line and said inwardly-extending tab being connected to said connecting section at a scored corner joint fold line, the two scored corner joint fold lines being superimposed to provide a common joint fold line;

said common corner joint fold line being in alignment with the scored hinge fold line of said first flap;

said inwardly-folded flap connecting section on the first flap being folded inwardly about an angular scored fold line at an angle relative to said common joint corner fold line to provide said connecting flap section;

said angular scored fold line extending from the flap scored hinge line of the first flap at an angle relative to it and to said common corner joint fold line but terminating at a point within the flap; and

a flap separation extending from the termination point to the edge of said first flap producing relatively foldable sections within the flap;

said tray-like article having an unequal number of the side walls and comprising the flat wall portion with an unequal number of flaps around its periphery;

said unequal number of flaps alternating in the first and second flaps around its periphery and having an odd flap which is originally flat and is divided into independently foldable sections by a single angular fold line which extends from an adjacent common corner joint fold line to a termination point within the odd flap; and

said separation extending from the termination point to the edge of said odd flap producing relatively foldable sections within that flap.

2. A tray-like article set up from the flat of claim 1 by folding the said second flaps outwardly about their respective hinge fold lines so as to automatically fold the said connected first flaps inwardly about their respective hing fold lines.

3. A flat according to claim 1 in which:

the said odd flap with the said single angular fold line is provided with an additional scored corner fold line which extends at an angle from the said single angular fold line and aligns with the hinge line of the adjacent first flap and that first flap is provided with an additional scored corner fold line extending at an angle relative to the said single angular fold line between the adjacent corner slit and corner fold line.

4. A tray-like article set up from the flat of claim 3 by folding the said second flaps outwardly about their respective hinge fold lines so as to automatically fold the said connected first flaps inwardly about their respective hinge fold lines.

5. A blank for use in forming a tray-like article comprising a flat sheet of fiberboard or the like having:

main hinge score lines parallel to the respective outer edges of the sheet to produce adjacent hinged side-forming flaps extending outwardly from a main wall portion formed within said hinge lines, the hinge lines meeting to provied corner points;

pairs of corner fold lines extending outwardly at an angle relatively at said corner points;

a corner slit between each pair of corner fold lines which substantially bisects the angle therebetween;

an angular score line at a corner in one of the adjacent flaps extending outwardly from the corner point substantially at a right angle relative to said corner slit and at an angle to the hinge line of the flap in which it is formed and terminating at a point within that flap; and

a flap separation extending from the termination point to the edge of said flap in which said angular score line is formed producing relatively foldable sections within the flap;

said tray-like article having an unequal number of sides

said flaps being arranged in an unequal number around the flat wall portion;

said flaps alternating in the first and second flaps around its periphery and having an odd flap which is divided into independently foldable sections by a single angular fold line which extends from an adjacent common corner joint fold line to termination point within the odd flap; and

said flap separation extending from the termination point to the edge of said odd flap producing relatively foldable sections within that flap.

6. A blank according to claim 5 in which:

the said odd flap with the said single angular fold line is provided with an additional corner fold line which extends at an angle from the said single angular fold line and aligns with the hinge line of the adjacent first flap and that first flap is provided with an additional corner scored fold line extending at an angle relative to the said single angular fold line between the adjacent corner slit and corner fold line.