Container with end wall opening for handle access

• US 5,065,937 A
• Filed: 01/25/1991
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Container Corporation of America (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Container Corporation of America (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Ritter, Karl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDonald, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US07/645,704
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.13, 229/120.14, 229/120.15, 229/120.18, 229/131.1, 206/175, 206/193, 206/200, 206/166
• US Class Current: 229/117.13
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0227 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46184 formed by extensions of parts of the blank, serving also as a partition in the container

Abstract

A container formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard that has an internal divider panel, with an integral handle at one end thereof, and that has an end wall formed by pairs of overlapping end closure flaps that are recessed to form a common opening affording access to the internal handle.

Claims

1. A one-piece container having an internal divider panel, with an integral handle at one end thereof, and having an end wall with an opening affording access to said handle, said container being formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, and comprising:

(a) pairs of opposed side walls foldably interconnected on parallel fold lines to form a tubular structure open at its upper and lower ends;

(b) an internal divider panel extending between and having opposite side edges foldably joined to the respective side walls of one of said pairs on fold lines that extend parallel to said last mentioned fold lines;

(c) said divider panel having foldably joined to an upper end edge thereof a handle panel adapted to be folded 180 degrees into overlapping relation with a portion of said divider panel to form therewith a two-ply handle with an upper extremity that does not, at any time, extend above any of said side walls;

(d) top and bottom end closure flaps foldably joined to upper and lower end edges, respectively, of said side walls and adapted to be folded inwardly 90 degrees and secured to each other in overlapping relation to form end walls for closing, at least partially, the ends of said structure;

(e) certain of said top closure flaps being U-shaped and being arranged and disposed for cooperation with each other to form, when said top flaps are closed, a central opening large enough to accommodate the entry of a hand to enable one to reach into the container and grasp the handle and lift the container.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein one of said side walls includes a pair of overlapping first and second panel sections adhesively secured to each other, and wherein said second panel section is foldably joined to said divider panel.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein said divider panel has a pair of overlapping panel sections of one of said side walls and has an opposite side edge foldably joined to a glue panel that is adhesively secured to another of said side walls.

4. A one-piece container having an internal divider panel, with an integral handle at one end thereof, and having an end wall with an opening affording access to said handle, said container being formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, and comprising:

(a) pairs of opposed side walls foldably interconnected on parallel fold lines to form a tubular structure open at its upper and lower ends;

(b) an internal divider panel extending between and having opposite side edges foldably joined to the respective side walls of one of said pairs on fold lines that extend parallel to said last mentioned fold lines;

(c) said divider panel having, at its upper end, a handle, with an upper extremity that does not, at any time, extend above any of said side walls;

(d) top and bottom end closure flaps foldably joined to upper and lower end edges, respectively, of said side walls and adapted to be folded inwardly 90 degrees and secured to each other in overlapping relation to form end walls for closing, at least partially, the ends of said structure;

(e) certain of said top closure flaps being U-shaped and being arranged and disposed for cooperation with each other to form, when said top flaps are closed, a central opening large enough to accomodate the entry of a hand to enable one to reach into the container and grasp the handle and lift the container.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein said divider panel has, foldably joined to an upper end edge thereof, a handle panel adapted to be folded 180 degrees into overlapping relation with said divider panel and having a hand receiving opening arranged and disposed for alignment with a related opening in said divider panel to form said handle.

6. A container according to claim 4 wherein certain of said top closure flaps are U-shaped.

7. A container according to claim 4, wherein one of said side walls includes a pair of overlapping first and second panel sections adhesively secured to each other, and wherein said second panel section is foldably joined to said divider panel.

8. A container according to claim 4, wherein said divider panel has one side edge foldably joined to one of said side walls and has an opposite side edge foldably joined to a glue panel that is adhesively secured to of another of said side walls.