Closable box

• US 5,431,333 A
• Filed: 06/20/1994
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: Macmillan Bloedel Limited (Weyerhauser)
• Inventors: Lorenz, Achim R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/262,297
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 229/114, 229/146, 229/149, 229/902, 229/906
• US Class Current: 229/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/28 with extensions of sides permanently secured to adjacent sides, with sides permanently secured together by adhesive strips, or with sides held in place solely by rigidity of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/667 Lids in the form of an inverted tray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

A closable container is formed by a bottom tray having upwardly and outwardly flaring side wall and a cooperating gable-shaped top closure having side wall with a rear side wall of the top foldably interconnected with a rear side wall of the bottom tray along the length thereof. Flaps extending from the top front and rear walls connect these walls to their respective adjacent top side walls to form the gabled shaped top closure and are provided with extensions each of which projects away from the top wall of the top closure a distance farther than the free edge of the top side wall to which it is connected. These projections extend beyond the top edge of their adjacent bottom side walls and help to ensure proper alignment of the top closure and bottom tray. The front walls of the bottom tray and of the gabled top are formed respectively with an undercut and a cooperating tongue adapted to interact to hold the gabled top in close position over the bottom tray. Preferably, the bottom front wall in which the undercut is formed will extend further above the bottom wall of the tray than the other side walls of the tray and free edge of the front top wall of the gabled top will be received within the projecting portion and the undercut will be formed in the projecting portion to define a surface that the tongue lies against when the top is in close position.

Claims

1. A closable container comprising a bottom tray having a bottom wall, a set of bottom side walls, a fold line connecting each bottom side wall of said set of bottom side walls to an adjacent portion of said bottom wall, said set of bottom side walls including a first pair of opposed bottom side walls, means connecting one of said first pair of bottom walls to each of a pair of opposite sides of said bottom walk said first pair of bottom side walls forming a front bottom side wall and a rear bottom side wall of said tray, means for connecting adjacent sides of said bottom side walls of said set of bottom side walls to form said bottom tray with said bottom side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and flaring outward to provide an open top defined by free-end edges of said bottom side walls, said open top being larger in area than said bottom wall, a gabled top having a top wall and a set of top side walls, means connecting each top side wall of said set of top side walls with said top wall and means for interconnecting sides of adjacent pairs of said top side walls to form said gabled top with an open end remote from said top wall defined by free edges of said top side walls remote from said top wall, said open end being larger in area than said top wall, said set of top side walls including a first pair of opposed top side walls forming a front top side wall and rear top side wall of said gabled top and a second pair of opposed top side walls, said means interconnecting sides of adjacent pairs of said top side walls including flaps foldably connected to corners of each of said first pair of top side walls in a position to be secured to an adjacent corner of an adjacent side wall of said second pair of top side walls, a projection extending from each of said flaps, each said projection extending beyond its adjacent said top side wall of said second pair of top side walls to overlap an adjacent corner of said bottom tray when said container is in closed position, a foldable connection between said rear bottom side wall and said rear top side wall to foldably connect said gabled top with said bottom tray.

2. A closeable container as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom front side wall has an undercut formed therein defining a supporting surface and said top front side wall has a projecting tongue planer therewith projecting therefrom away from said top wall, said undercut and said tongue being positioned to cooperate and lock said gabled top when said gable top is in a closed position over said bottom tray.

3. A closable container as defined in claim 2 further comprising an extending portion extending from an end of said bottom front side wall remote from said bottom wall, said extending portion having a free edge spaced above said bottom wall further than said support surface and wherein said supporting surface is substantially parallel to said foldable connection and said support surface and said foldable connection are substantially equally spaced above said bottom wall,

4. A closable container as defined in claim 3 wherein the distance between said foldable connection and a free edge of said front top wall remote from said foldable connection is substantially the same as the distance between said supporting surface and said foldable connection so that said free edge of said front top wall may be received within said extending portion of said bottom front wall when said gable top in in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

5. A closable container as defined in claim 2 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 15°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

6. A closable container as defined in claim 3 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 15°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

7. A closable container as defined in claim 4 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 15°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

8. A closable container as defined in claim 2 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 30°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

9. A closable container as defined in claim 3 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 30°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.

10. A closable container as defined in claim 4 wherein said tongue traverses said bottom front wall at an angle of at least 30°

when said gable top is in a closed position overlying said bottom tray.