Automatic latching container having good thermal insulation

• US 4,930,681 A
• Filed: 08/18/1988
• Issued: 06/05/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dopaco Incorporated (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Clinton Fultz, Stanley Dalton
• Inventors: Fultz, Clinton, Dalton, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): ELKINS, GARY E
• Application Number:
  US07/233,224
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 220/4 B, 229/113, 229/114, 229/125, 229/27, 229/125.29, 229/145, 229/146, 229/148, 229/169, 229/178, 229/902, 229/906, 229/DIG. 2, 229/DIG. 5, 229/DIG. 4, D 9/423, D 9/431, D 9/433, 493/79, 493/80, 493/137, 493/139, 493/140, 493/168
• US Class Current: 229/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/667 Lids in the form of an inverted tray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/939 Container made of corrugated paper or corrugated paperboard
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/94 Container material with specified grain direction

Abstract

A container which can be constructed in one-piece or in two pieces. The container is preferably of corrugated paper-like material and is preferably of the "E-flute" type of corrugated material. The container includes a body member or body portion and a cover member or cover portion. The container includes a latch which automatically operates to latch the container in closed condition when the container is closed. The container has panels and walls which are relatively angular so that the opposing walls are in effective covering relationship when the container is closed. Also, the angular relationship between the panels and the walls permits a plurality of the containers to be nested and stacked in a stack having a minimum height.

Claims

1. A container of semi-rigid paper-like material, comprising an upper panel, a lower panel,

a first pair of side walls, the first pair of side walls being attached to the upper panel at opposite portions thereof, a pair of first end walls, the first end walls being attached to the upper panel at opposite portions thereof, there being an opening partially separating one of said first end walls from the upper panel, said opening being within said first end wall and within an adjacent part of the upper panel, the upper panel and said first end walls and said first side walls attached thereto forming a cover member of the container,

a pair of second side walls, the second side walls being attached to the lower panel at opposite portions thereof, a pair of second end walls, the second end walls being attached to the lower panel at opposite portions thereof, one of said second end walls including a pivotal flap, the lower panel and said walls attached thereto forming a body member of the container,

the upper panel being in covering relationship upon the lower panel as said side walls of the upper panel at least partially cover said side walls of the lower panel, said first end wall of the upper panel which has said opening therein covering said second end wall of the lower panel which includes said pivotal flap, said pivotal flap of said second end wall extending into said opening which partially separates said first end wall and said upper panel, whereby said flap within said opening latchably attaches said first end wall to said second end wall, whereby the cover member is latched in covering relationship to the body member of the container, said opening which partially separates the upper panel and said first end wall providing an aperture within which said flap can be readily pivotally moved for withdrawal of said flap from said opening and from said first end wall of the upper panel for unlatching the cover member from the body member of the container.

2. The container of claim 1 in which one of said first end walls is attached to one of said second end walls.

3. The container of claim 1 which includes means pivotally attaching one of the second end walls of the lower panel to said first end walls of the upper panel, whereby a one piece container is formed.

4. A two-piece carton, comprising a first piece of semi-rigid paper-like material, the first piece of semi-rigid paper-like material including a lower panel, a pair of lower side walls joined to the lower panel at opposite portions thereof, a pair of lower end walls joined to the lower panel at opposite portions thereof,

a pair of latch members, each of said latch members being pivotally attached to one of the lower end walls and protruding therefrom, there being one of said latch members pivotally attached to each of said lower end walls,

a second piece of semi-rigid paper-like material, the second piece including an upper panel, a pair of upper side walls joined to the upper panel at opposite portions thereof, a pair of upper end walls joined to the upper panel at opposite portions thereof, there being a pair of openings in said second piece, each of said openings partially separating one of said upper end walls from the upper panel, each of said openings having a portion within the upper panel and a portion within one of said adjacent end walls,

the upper panel being positionable above the lower panel and substantially parallel thereto, with said second side walls at least partially covering said first side walls, and with said second end walls partially covering said first end walls, each latch member which is attached to one of said lower end walls being movable into one of said openings which partially separates an upper end wall from the upper panel, whereby each of said latch members which is within one of said openings latches the first piece to the second piece, each of said openings which partially separates one of said upper end walls from the upper panel forming a space within which said latch member therein is pivotally movable to remove said latch member from its respective opening for unlatching the first piece from the second piece.

5. The method of producing a container comprising forming semi-rigid foldable sheet material, including forming in the sheet material a first panel, forming a first end wall extending from the first panel, forming a first side wall extending from the first panel, forming a first tab extending from the first end wall, cutting out an edge portion of the first panel and cutting out an adjacent edge portion of said first end wall to form an opening between the first panel and said first end wall, forming in the sheet material a second panel, forming in the sheet material a second end wall extending from the second panel, forming in the sheet material a second side wall extending from the second panel, forming a second tab extending from said second end wall, forming a pivotal flap in said second end wall, pivotally moving said first end wall with respect to the first panel, pivotally moving said first tab with respect to said first end wall, pivotally moving said first side wall with respect to the first panel, attaching said first tab to said first side wall to position said first end wall and said first side wall at an angle with respect to the first panel, pivotally moving said second end wall with resepct to the second panel, pivotally moving said second tab with respect to the second end wall, pivotally moving the second side wall with respect to the second panel, attaching said second tab to said second side wall to position said second side wall and said second end wall at an angle with respect to the second panel, moving the first panel to a position substantially parallel with the second panel and placing said first end wall and said second end wall into juxtaposition with said first end wall at least partially covering said second end wall, whereby said flap of said second end wall moves into said opening which is between said first end wall and the first panel, whereby said flap of said second end wall which is within said opening in the first panel and said first end wall forms a latching condition between said second end wall and said first end wall and whereby the first panel and said second panel are latched together, said opening formed in the adjacent edge portions of the first panel and said first end wall providing a space whereby said flap can be readily pivotally moved and withdrawn from said opening and from said first end wall of the first panel for unlatching said first end wall from said second end wall and for unlatching said first panel from said the second panel.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the first panel and the first end wall of the sheet material are formed within a first foldable sheet member, and the second panel and the second end wall of the sheet material are formed within a second foldable sheet member, whereby the container is a two-piece container.

7. The method of claim 5 which includes forming the semi-rigid foldable sheet material into a single sheet member in which the first panel and the second panel and the first end wall and the second end wall are a part of the same sheet member and whereby the container is a one-piece container.