Open-sided container apparatus

• US 5,161,692 A
• Filed: 08/02/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc. (International Paper Company)
• Original Assignee: Inland Container Corp. (International Paper Company)
• Inventors: Knierim, Stanley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US07/739,695
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/386, 206/586, 206/453, 206/597, 206/600, 229/120.13, 229/120.18, 229/125.27, 229/125.31, 229/23 R, 229/125.19, 108/51.1, 108/51.3, 108/55.1, 108/55.3, 108/56.1
• US Class Current: 206/586
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/053 Paper in general, e.g. paperboard, carton, molded paper
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/64 for bulky articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6817 refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/32 having bodies formed by folding and interconnecting two or more blanks each blank forming a body part, whereby each body part comprises at least one outside face of the box, carton or tray
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/002 in shrink films B65D71/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/054 Protectors contacting two generally perpendicular surfaces of the packaged article, e.g. edge protectors B65D81/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/056 the surfaces being generally perpendicular to each other, e.g. three-sided corner protectors

Abstract

Open-sided container apparatus includes a cap member having an internal divider wall forming pockets for receiving corner posts of L-shaped cross-section. The corner posts have bottom endwalls for cushioning the corners of an appliance. The cap and corner posts may be used separately, if desired.

Claims

1. Carton apparatus, comprising:

a cap member including a top wall with an outer periphery, a skirt wall downwardly depending from said outer periphery so as to form at least two outer corners and cooperating with said top wall to form a partially enclosed area, said cap member further comprising internal divider wall means in said partially enclosed area, extending between said corners and spaced from said skirt wall so as to form channel means therewith for receiving a carton wall member; and

a plurality of corner posts, each comprising a one-piece integral paperboard blank of preselected thickness folded to form a corner post including a pair of coextensive sides joined together at an angle to one another along an axially extending fold line so as to form a concave channel, and end wall means interrupting said concave channel, comprising a pair of overlapping end walls, one extending from each side, respectively.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a joining wall joining said internal divider wall means and said skirt wall with said joining wall extending generally parallel to said skirt wall and dimensioned shorter than the distance between said corners, so as to cooperate with said skirt wall to define a pair of channels extending along said skirt wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said internal divider wall means has a free edge adjacent said top wall, said apparatus further comprising edge wall means joined to said internal divider wall means with a fold line and positioned at least immediately adjacent said top wall means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said endwall means further comprises a series of foldably connected panels foldably connected to each of said endwalls, each series of foldably connected panels having at least one pair of panels folded one on top of another to form an endwall extension of multiple paperboard thicknesses.

5. Carton enclosure apparatus including a cap member, comprising:

a top wall with an outer periphery;

at least one skirt wall downwardly depending from said outer periphery so as to form at least two outer corners and cooperating with said top wall to form a partially enclosed area;

an internal divider wall in said partially enclosed area, extending between said corners and spaced from and generally parallel to said at least one skirt wall so as to define a channel between said internal divider wall and said skirt wall; and

a joining wall joining said internal divider wall and said at least one skirt wall, said joining wall extending between first portions of said internal divider wall and said at least one skirt wall so as to divide said channel into downwardly opening pocket portions for telescoping engagement with an end of a carton wall member, the pocket portions extending between said joining wall and said outer corners and between remaining portions of said internal divider wall and said at least one skirt wall.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an edge portion joined to said internal divider wall with a fold line for overlapping engagement with said top wall.