Convertible box

• US 5,713,509 A
• Filed: 09/23/1994
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correll Concepts Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Correll Concepts Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Correll, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/311,396
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 229/109, 229/120, 229/150, 229/152, 229/902, 229/906, 229/101, 229/110, 229/933, 229/935
• US Class Current: 229/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2301/10 Blanks mutually positioned to minimise waste material upon cutting out the individual blank from a continuous or large sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/366 Pizza
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2033 polygonal having more than four sides, e.g. hexagonal, octogonal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/22 held erect by extensions of one or more sides being doubled-over to enclose extensions of adjacent sides
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6658 combined with flaps or tabs provided at the side edges of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/935 No waste, i.e. edge-to-edge blanks

Abstract

A type of box comprising at least five walls yet with the capability of having the appearance of a square box, with a convertible corner feature that allows conversion of a diagonal wall to a square corner for carrying extra items, and with sloping side walls that allow multiple blanks to be inverted and mated for material savings. Also disclosed is a method for partially folding and nesting the box for conserving storage space used for set up boxes and a method for expanding and contracting the size of the inner cavity of the box.

Claims

1. A one-piece blank of foldable material cut and scored to define:

a bottom panel having front and rear edges, left and right side edges, a first folder edge, and a first connector edge, said first folder edge extending from an end of one of the left and right side edges toward one of the front and rear edges and said first connector edge extending from an end of the folder edge to an end of one of said front and rear edges,

a first hinge panel hingedly attached to said first folder edge,

a first angular side wall having a top edge, bottom edge, front end, and rear end, and hingedly attached at the bottom edge to said first hinge panel,

left and right side walls hingedly attached to said left and right side edges, respectively, one of said left and right side walls being hingedly attached to said first angular side wall,

a front wall hingedly attached to said front edge of the bottom panel,

a rear wall hingedly attached to said rear edge of the bottom panel.

2. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein:

said connector edge is straight.

3. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein:

said connector edge is curved.

5. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein:

said foldable material is corrugated paperboard,

the first angular side wall has a fold line extending from said top edge to said bottom edge, said fold line dividing the angular side wall into a body portion and an end portion,

the above-described bottom panel, hinge panel, walls, edges, and fold line being of such shape and position that, after said blank is folded into a box, said first angular side wall may be erected at an oblique angle to said one of said left and right side walls by folding said hinge panel to overlie said bottom panel or said first angular side wall may be erected coplanar with said one of said left and right side walls by keeping said hinge panel approximately coplanar with said bottom panel, whereby said first angular side wall and said one of said left and right side walls form a single wall, in effect, and a corner may be formed at an end of said single wall by folding said single wall at said fold line.

6. The blank defined in claim 1:

wherein said foldable material is corrugated paperboard;

said blank further comprising;

a second folder edge and a second connector edge, said second folder edge extending from an end of one of the left and right side edges toward one of the front and rear edges and said second connector edge extending from an end of one of the folder edges to an end of one of said front and rear edges,

a second hinge panel hingedly attached to said second folder edge second,

a second angular side wall hingedly attached at a bottom edge to said second hinge panel,

one of said left and right side walls being hingedly attached to said second angular side wall.

7. The blank defined in claim 6, said blank further comprising:

third and fourth folder edges and third and fourth connector edges, said third and fourth folder edges extending from an end of the left and right side edges, respectively, toward one of the front and rear edges and said third and fourth connector edges extending from an end of said third and fourth folder edges, respectively, to an end of one of said front and rear edges,

third and fourth hinge panels hingedly attached to said third and fourth folder edges, respectively,

third and fourth angular side walls hingedly attached at a bottom edge to said third and fourth hinge panels, respectively.

8. The blank defined in claim 7 wherein:

said front and rear edges have left and right ends, said left and right ends are approximately aligned with said left and right side edges, respectively.

9. The blank defined in claim 6, said blank further comprising:

first and second diagonal wall edges on said bottom panel, said first and second diagonal wall edges extending between one of said front and rear edges and said left and right side edges, respectively,

first and second diagonal side walls hingedly attached to said first and second diagonal edges, respectively, and each having a top edge, bottom edge, front end, and rear end.

10. The blank defined in claim 9 wherein:

said top and bottom edges of said first and second diagonal side walls are non-parallel and the distance between said top and bottom edges at one of said front and rear ends is substantially less than the distance between said top and bottom edges at the other of said front and rear ends.

4. The blank defined in claim i wherein:

said connector edge is comprised of at least two adjoining straight edges.

11. A one-piece blank of foldable material cut and scored to define:

a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a cover hingedly attached to one of the walls,

said bottom panel having first and second angularly oriented edges and a third edge extending from an end of the first edge toward and at least part way to the second edge,

said plurality of walls comprising first and second walls hingedly attached to the first and second edges, respectively, the first wall having an end adjacent an end of the second wall,

said plurality of walls further comprising a third wall having an end hingedly attached to said end of the first wall and having a top edge and a bottom edge,

a hinge panel connecting said third wall to said bottom panel, said hinge panel having a first hinge panel edge hingedly attached to the third edge of the bottom panel, a second hinge panel edge hingedly attached to the bottom edge of the third wall, and a third hinge panel edge that is free from attachment and extends from the first hinge panel edge,

a fold line within said third wall and extending from the top edge to the bottom edge,

the above-described bottom panel, hinge panel, walls, edges, and fold line being of such shape and position that, after said blank is folded into a box, said third wall may be erected at an oblique angle to said first wall by folding said hinge panel to overlie said bottom panel or said third wall may be erected coplanar with said first wall by keeping said hinge panel approximately coplanar with said bottom panel, whereby said first and third walls form a single wall, in effect, and a corner may be formed at an end of said single wall by folding said single wall at said fold line.

12. The blank defined in claim 11 wherein:

said foldable material is corrugated paperboard,

said third edge on the bottom panel extends from said end of the first edge and terminates at a first point part way to the second edge,

a fourth edge extends from said first point to an end of said second edge, said end of said second edge is in approximate alignment with said first edge.

13. A box comprising:

a bottom panel and a plurality of walls,

said bottom panel having angularly oriented first and second edges, a folder edge, and a connector edge, said folder edge extending from an end of said first edge toward and part way to said second edge and said connector edge extending from an end of said folder edge to an end of said second edge,

a hinge panel hingedly attached to said folder edge,

said plurality of walls comprising first and second walls hingedly attached to said bottom panel at said first and second edges, respectively,

said plurality of walls further comprising a third wall having a top edge, bottom edge, front end, and rear end, and hingedly attached at the bottom edge to said hinge panel and hingedly attached to an end of said first wall.

14. The box defined in claim 13 wherein:

said third wall has a fold line within it and extending from said top edge to said bottom edge.

15. A box comprising:

a bottom panel having opposing front and rear edges and opposing left and right side edges,

a predetermined width to said bottom panel, said predetermined width extending between said left and right side edges,

front, rear, left side, and right side walls hingedly attached to said front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively,

a first angular wall disposed at an oblique angle to one of the left and right side walls, said first angular wall extending from said one of the left and right side walls toward one of the front and rear walls,

a first hinge panel hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said first angular wall and hingedly attached to said bottom panel and overlying said bottom

said one of the front and rear walls being of substantially rectangular shape and having a predetermined length, said predetermined length being substantially equal to said predetermined width of the bottom panel.

16. The box defined in claim 15:

wherein;

said box is made of foldable material,

said front and rear walls are parallel and said left and right side walls are parallel;

said box further comprising;

a second angular wall disposed at an oblique angle to one of the left and right side walls, said second angular wall extending from said one of the left and right side walls toward one of the front and rear walls,

a second hinge panel hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said second angular wall and hingedly attached to said bottom panel and overlying said bottom panel,

a cover hingedly attached to said rear wall,

each of said front and rear walls being of substantially rectangular shape and having a predetermined length, said predetermined length being substantially equal to said predetermined width of the bottom panel.

17. A one-piece blank of foldable material cut and scored to define:

a bottom panel having opposing first and second end edges, opposing left and right side edges, and a first folder edge, said first folder edge being disposed at an oblique angle to one of the left and right side edges and extending from an end of said one of the left and right side edges toward the first end edge,

a predetermined width to said bottom panel, said predetermined width extending between said left and right side edges,

first end, second end, left side, and right side walls hingedly attached to said first end, second end, left side, and right side edges, respectively,

a first angular wall hingedly attached to an end of one of the left and right side walls,

a first hinge panel hingedly attached to said first angular edge and to a bottom edge of said first angular wall,

said first end wall being of approximately rectangular shape and having a predetermined length, said predetermined length being approximately equal to said predetermined width of the bottom panel.

18. The blank defined in claim 17:

wherein;

said foldable material is corrugated paperboard,

said first and second end edges are parallel and said left and right side edges are parallel;

said blank further comprising;

second, third, and fourth folder edges each disposed at an oblique angle to one of the left and right side edges and extending from an end of said one of the left and right side edges toward one of the first and second end edges,

second, third, and fourth angular walls each hingedly attached to an end of one of the left and right side walls,

second, third, and fourth hinge panels hingedly attached to said second, third, and fourth angular edges, respectively, and to a bottom edge of said second, third, and fourth angular walls, respectively,

a cover hingedly attached to said rear wall,

each of said first and second end walls being of approximately rectangular shape and having a predetermined length, said predetermined length being approximately equal to said predetermined width of the bottom panel.

19. In a box made of foldable material, said box comprising a bottom panel having angularly oriented first and second edges, a first wall hingedly attached to said first edge, a second wall hingedly attached to said second edge, an angular wall hingedly attached to an end of said first wall and extending toward said second wall, a hinge panel hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said angular wall and overlying said bottom panel, an improvement comprising:

a plurality of adjoining edges extending between said first and second edges on said bottom panel, said plurality of adjoining edges comprising a folder edge extending from an end of said first edge and a connector edge extending from an end of said second edge, said hinge panel being hingedly attached to said folder edge.

20. A one-piece blank of foldable material cut and scored to define:

a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a cover hingedly attached to a top edge of one of the walls,

said bottom panel having left and right side edges and first and second diagonal wall edges extending at an oblique angle from an end of said left and right side edges, respectively,

said plurality of walls comprising;

(a) left and right side walls hingedly attached to said left and right side edges, respectively, and having first and second ends, the second end of the left side wall being disposed adjacent said first diagonal wall edge and the second end of said right side wall being disposed adjacent said second diagonal wall edge,

(b) first and second angular side walls hingedly attached to the first end of said left and right side walls, respectively,

(c) first and second hinge panels hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said first and second angular side walls, respectively,

(d) first and second diagonal side walls hingedly attached to said first and second diagonal wall edges, respectively,

(e) first and second inner panels hingedly attached to a top edge of said first and second diagonal side walls, respectively,

(f) first and second flaps hingedly attached to the second end of said left and right side walls, respectively;

whereby, after said left and right side walls and said first and second diagonal side walls have been erected to upright position, the first and second angular side walls can be moved from an inward position to an outward position and from an outward position to an inward position.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein at least one of said first and second angular side walls has a fold line disposed between the bottom edge and a top edge.

22. The blank of claim 20 wherein said first and second hinge panels are hingedly attached to said bottom panel.

23. A box comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a cover hingedly attached to one of the walls, said plurality of walls comprising:

(a) a first side wall hingedly attached to said bottom panel and having first and second ends,

(b) an angular side wall hingedly attached to the first end of said first side wall and disposed in an obliquely-angled position to said first side wall and a movable hinge panel hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said angular side wall and overlying said bottom panel,

(c) a diagonal side wall hingedly attached to said bottom panel and disposed at an oblique angle to said first side wall,

(d) an inner panel hingedly attached to a top edge of said diagonal side wall and disposed parallel to said diagonal side wall,

(e) a flap hingedly attached to the second end of said first side wall and disposed between said diagonal side wall and said inner panel;

whereby said angular side wall can be moved from said obliquely-angled position to a substantially coplanar position to said first side wall and said first side wall maintains an upright position after said angular side wall has been moved because of said flap being disposed between said diagonal side wall and said inner panel.

24. A box of foldable material, said box comprising:

a bottom panel having opposing front and rear edges, a side edge, and an angular edge extending from said side edge toward and at least part way to one of said front and rear edges;

front and rear walls hingedly attached to said front and rear edges, respectively;

a cover hingedly attached to said rear wall;

a first wall hingedly attached to said side edge and having a first end disposed adjacent said angular edge;

a second wall hingedly attached to the first end of said first wall;

a movable hinge panel hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said second wall and disposed substantially coplanar to said bottom panel.

25. The box of claim 24, wherein said box is partially folded and said front wall and said first and second walls are each disposed in an upright position and said rear wall is disposed substantially coplanar with said bottom panel.

26. The box of claim 24, wherein said movable hinge panel is hingedly attached to said bottom panel.

27. The box of claim 24, wherein said second wall has a fold line extending from a top edge to a bottom edge.

28. The box of claim 24, wherein said second wall is disposed in a substantially coplanar position to said first wall.