Collapsible shipping carton

• US 5,215,248 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hexacomb Corporation (Packaging Corporation of America)
• Original Assignee: Hexacomb Corporation (Packaging Corporation of America)
• Inventors: Moser, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US07/954,463
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 220/415, 220/418, 220/441, 220/464, 220/468, 229/23 R, 229/23 A, 229/23 C, 229/DIG. 4, 206/386, 206/600, 493/84
• US Class Current: 229/122.21
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/326 at least one container body part formed by folding a single blank to a permanently assembled tube

Abstract

A shipping carton includes a plurality of generally rectangular panels with a hinge between at least each two adjacent panels. The panels can be extended and placed at about right angles from each other to form a sidewall having an open top portion and an open bottom portion. A pair of support trays each comprising a panel member and four side members that extend therefrom fit over the portion bottom and top portion of the sidewall to enclose the carton. In a preferred embodiment, spaced-apart inserts and liner members can be provided which fit within each support tray. The panels and the support trays are secured to prepare the carton for shipping.

Claims

1. A collapsible shipping carton comprising:

a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel being connected to the at least one adjacent panel by hinge means whereby each panel can be positioned at a right angle to an adjacent panel to form a sidewall having an open top portion and an open bottom portion;

an upper support tray and a lower support tray each including a panel member having an inside surface and side members which extend from the inside surface whereby the upper support tray receives the top portion of the sidewall and the lower support tray receives the bottom portion of the sidewall to enclose the sidewall;

a liner member removably associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray wherein the liner member is separated from the side members of the lower support tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall; and

a second liner member removably associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray, the second liner member being dimensioned to fit over the top portion of the sidewall and be supported thereby.

2. The shipping carton according to claim 1 wherein the lower support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and a second surface associated with the liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for removably securing the liner member to the insert.

3. The shipping carton according to claim 2 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

4. The shipping carton according to claim 1 wherein the upper support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray and a second surface associated with the second liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for securing the second liner member to the insert.

5. The shipping carton according to claim 4 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

6. The shipping carton according to claim 2 wherein each insert of the lower support tray is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall.

7. The shipping carton according to claim 6 wherein the channel is at least as thick as a panel of the sidewall.

8. The shipping carton according to claim 4 wherein each insert of the upper support tray is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the top portion of the sidewall.

9. The shipping carton according to claim 8 wherein the channel is at least as thick as a panel of the sidewall.

10. The shipping carton according to claim 1 including means for securing the panels and the support trays together in a box-like structure.

11. The shipping carton according to claim 1 wherein the securing means includes means for connecting the adjacent panels together.

12. The shipping carton according to claim 1 wherein each panel includes an interior surface, an exterior surface and a filler portion therebetween.

13. The shipping carton according to claim 12 wherein the interior and exterior surfaces include a layer of metal foil.

14. The shipping carton according to claim 12 wherein the filler portion is a honeycomb-type material.

15. The shipping carton according to claim 12 wherein the filler portion is an insulating material.

16. The shipping carton according to claim 15 wherein the filler portion comprises an expanded polystyrene foam.

17. The shipping carton according to claim 15 wherein the panels consist of a honeycomb-type filler portion and an insulating material.

18. The shipping carton according to claim 1 wherein the support trays comprise cardboard.

19. A shipping carton comprising:

a) a lower support tray including a lower panel member having an inside surface and a plurality of lower side members that extend from the inside surface;

b) a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel being connected to the adjacent panels to form a sidewall having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion being adapted to be received within the lower support tray, the dimensions of the panels being less than the corresponding dimensions of the lower panel member, the panels being received within the lower support tray for storage;

c) an upper support tray comprising an upper panel member having an inside surface and a plurality of upper side members that extend from the inside surface whereby the upper support tray is adapted to receive the top portion of the sidewall, the upper support tray and the lower support tray comprising corrugated cardboard;

d) at least one liner member associated with the inside surface of one of the support trays, the dimensions of the at least one liner member being less than the corresponding dimensions of the lower panel member, the at least one liner member thus being received within the lower support tray, wherein the liner member and each of the plurality of panels further include an interior surface, an exterior surface and a filler portion and the interior and exterior surfaces include a layer of metal foil and the filler portion comprises an expandable kraft paper honeycomb-type material, wherein the panels are connected by a crushed section of the expandable kraft paper honeycomb-type filler portion located between the adjacent panels.

20. The shipping carton according to claim 19 wherein the liner member is associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and the liner member is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall.

21. The shipping carton according to claim 20 including a second liner member associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray, the second liner member being dimensioned to fit over the top portion of the sidewall to be supported thereby.

22. The shipping carton according to claim 19 wherein the lower support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts and the liner member, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and a second surface associated with the liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for removably securing the liner member to the insert.

23. The shipping carton according to claim 22 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

24. The shipping carton according to claim 19 wherein the upper support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts and the liner member, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray and a second surface associated with the liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for securing the liner member to the insert.

25. The shipping carton according to claim 24 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

26. The shipping carton according to claim 22 wherein each insert of the lower support tray is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall.

27. The shipping carton according to claim 26 wherein the channel is at least as thick as a panel of the sidewall.

28. The shipping carton according to claim 24 wherein each insert of the upper support tray is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the top portion of the sidewall.

29. The shipping carton according to claim 28 wherein the channel is at least as thick as a panel of the sidewall.

39. The packaging kit according to claim 25 wherein each insert of the upper support tray is separated from the side members of the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the top portion of the sidewall.

40. The packaging kit according to claim 39 wherein the channel is at least as thick as the panel of the sidewall.

30. A method of forming a shipping carton comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel having a bottom portion and a top portion and being connected to the at least one adjacent panel by hinge means;

providing a lower support tray having a lower panel member and a plurality of lower side members extending from the lower panel member, with each lower side member corresponding to the bottom portion of at least one of the panels;

arranging each generally rectangular panel at a right angle to one adjacent panel within the first support tray to form a sidewall;

associating a liner member with the inside surface of the lower support tray;

separating the liner member from the side members of the lower support tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall;

providing an upper support tray having an upper panel member and a plurality of upper side members extending from the upper panel member, with each upper side member corresponding to the top portion of at least one of the panels to cover the sidewall and form the shipping carton;

associating a second liner member with the inside surface of the upper support tray;

dimensioning the second liner member to fit over the top portion of the sidewall and be supported thereby; and

securing the support trays and panels together.

31. A packaging kit having component parts capable of being assembled to form a shipping carton comprising:

a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel being connected to the at least one adjacent panel by hinge means, the panels being adapted to be expanded to form a sidewall having an open top portion and an open bottom portion;

an upper support tray and a lower support tray, each support tray including a panel member having an inside surface and side members which extend from the inside surface whereby the lower support tray receives the bottom portion of the sidewall and the upper support tray receives the top portion of the sidewalls to form the shipping carton;

a liner member associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and a second liner member associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray, the second liner member being dimensioned to fit over the top portion of the sidewall and be supported thereby, wherein the liner member and the second liner member and each of the plurality of panels include an interior surface, an exterior surface and a filler portion and the interior and exterior surfaces include a layer of metal foil and the filler portion comprises an expandable kraft paper honeycomb-type material; and

the dimensions of the rectangular panels, the liner member and the second liner member being less than the corresponding dimensions of the panel members and the panels are folded at the hinge means for insertion and storage within either support tray.

32. The packaging kit according to claim 31 wherein the liner member is separated from the side members of the lower support tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall.

33. The packaging kit according to claim 31 wherein the lower support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and a second surface associated with the liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for removably securing the liner member to the insert.

34. The packaging kit according to claim 33 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

35. The packaging kit according to claim 31 wherein the upper support tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart inserts, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray and a second surface associated with the second liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for securing the second liner member to the insert.

36. The packaging kit according to claim 35 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

37. The packaging kit according to claim 33 wherein each insert of the lower support tray is separated from the side members or the tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall.

38. The packaging kit according to claim 37 wherein the channel is at least as thick as the panel of the sidewall.

41. The packaging kit according to claim 31 including means for securing the shipping carton together.

42. A shipping carton assembled from the packaging kit of claim 31.

43. A shipping carton comprising:

a) a lower support tray including a lower panel member having an inside surface and a plurality of lower side members that extend from the inside surface, the lower support tray including a plurality of spaced-apart inserts and a liner member associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the lower support tray and a second surface associated with the liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for removably securing the liner member to the insert;

b) a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel being connected to the adjacent panels to form a sidewall having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion being adapted to be received within the lower support tray; and

c) an upper support tray comprising an upper panel member having an inside surface and a plurality of upper side members that extend from the inside surface whereby the upper support tray is adapted to receive the top portion of the sidewall, the upper support tray including a plurality of spaced-apart inserts and a second liner member, each insert having a first surface associated with the inside surface of the upper support tray and a second surface associated with the second liner member, the second surface of each insert including adhesive means for securing the second liner member to the insert.

44. A collapsible shipping carton comprising:

a plurality of generally rectangular panels, each panel being connected to the at least one adjacent panel by hinge means whereby each panel can be positioned at a right angle to an adjacent panel to form a sidewall having an open top portion and an open bottom portion;

an upper support tray and a lower support tray each including a panel member having an inside surface and side members which extend from the inside surface whereby the upper support tray receives the top portion of the sidewall and the lower support tray receives the bottom portion of the sidewall to enclose the sidewall;

at least one liner member removably associated with the inside surface of one of the support trays; and

adhesive means for removably securing the at least one liner member to the one of the support trays.

45. The shipping carton according to claim 44 wherein the adhesive means includes a removable backing layer.

46. The shipping carton according to claim 44 having two liner members, a liner member associated with the lower support tray and a second liner member associated with the upper support tray.

47. The shipping carton of claim 46 wherein the liner member is separated from the side members of the lower support tray to define a channel adapted to receive the bottom portion of the sidewall and the second liner member is dimensional to fit over the top portion of the sidewall and be supported thereby.