Foldable tote box

• US 5,913,474 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merryland Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merryland Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Lawrence H. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/949,174
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 229/178, 229/191, 229/167, 229/195, 229/197, 229/198.2, 229/915, 229/918, 229/919
• US Class Current: 229/167
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0035 the ledges being located between side walls and doubled-over extensions B65D5/0025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4608 Handgrip holes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/915 Stacking feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/919 Reinforced wall

Abstract

A foldable tote box is formed by a one-pierce die-cut and scored board of corrugated material, especially corrugated plastic materials. The board includes a rectangular bottom panel having a length and a width defined by pairs of side and end edges. Each of a pair of sidewall panels has a folding edge integrally connected to the side edge of the bottom panel along a first scored folding line, a top edge and a pair of end edges that define a height of the box. Each pair of two filler beam panels are integrally connected to the end edges of one of the sidewall panels along second scored folding lines. Each filler beam panel is folded to form a hollow support beam. A pair of end wall panels are integrally connected to the end edges of the bottom panel along third scored folding lines. Each end wall panel includes an end wall section and a flap section divided by double scoring lines, thereby defining a support surface between the double scoring lines. Locking members include locking pieces and holes on the end wall panels and latch openings and tongues on the sidewall panels to lock the flap sections to the sidewall panels such that the flap section of each end wall panel holds two support beams formed against the end wall section of the end wall panel.

Claims

1. A foldable tote box comprising a one-pierce die-cut board of corrugated material, said board including a rectangular bottom panel having a length and a width defined by two side edges and two end edges;

a pair of sidewall panels, each having a folding edge integrally connected to one of the side edge, of the bottom panel along a first scored folding line, a top edge opposite to the folding edge, and a pair of end edges defining a width of the sidewall panel that defines a height of the box;

two pairs of filler beam panels, each pair of said filler beam panels respectively integrally connected to and extended from said end edges of one of said pair of sidewall panels along second scored folding lines, each of said filler beam panels being folded to form a hollow support beam;

a pair of end wall panels respectively integrally connected to and extended from the end edges of the bottom panel along third scored folding lines, each of said end wall panels including an end wall section and a flap section divided by double scoring lines, thereby defining a support surface between the double scoring lines; and

integrally formed means for locking the flap sections to one of said bottom panel and sidewall panels such that the flap section of each end wall panel holds two support beams formed by said filler beam panels against the end wall section of the end wall panel, wherein said locking means comprises a pair of latch openings formed adjecent to said end edges of the side wall panel, each latch opening having a latch tongue formed therein; and

a pair of locking holes formed in a pair of locking pieces extendings from side edges of each end wall panel at the flap section such that each locking hole engages each latch tongue on the sidewall panel to lock the assembled box.

2. The foldable box of claim 1, further comprising a longitudinal protrusion extended outwardly from the top edge of the sidewall panel opposite to the folding edge connected to the bottom panel.

3. The foldable box of claim 1, wherein handle-receptacles are, respectively, formed on the end wall section of the end wall panels.

4. The foldable box of claim 1, wherein each filler beam panels includes at least three sections proportionally divided by double scoring lines between adjacent sections such that each section forms part of the support beam when the filler beam panel is folded.

5. The foldable box of claim 1, wherein a tab is integrally formed at a top edge of each of the filler beam panels, and there are two notch openings at predetermined locations along the double scoring lines on the end wall panel so that each tab of the filler beam panel protrudes through each of said notch openings when the board is folded to form the box.

6. The foldable box of claim 5, wherein each of the notch openings along the double scoring lines on the end wall panel has a size wider than the width of the support surface between the double scoring lines.

7. The foldable box of claim 5, wherein each of the notch opening along the double scoring lines on the end wall panel has a size equal to the width of the support surface between the double scoring lines.

8. The foldable box of claim 5, wherein there are two stacking holes formed on each end edge of the bottom panel adjacent to the third folding lines, said stacking holes being capable of receiving, respectively, the stacking tabs on the support beams when the assembled boxes are stacked up one atop another.

9. The foldable box of claim 1, wherein the corrugated board is plastic board that has smooth surfaces on both sides, thereby defining therebetween a plurality of flutes such that the flutes in the beams are in an upright position when the box is assembled.

12. The board of claim 1, wherein at least three sections are defined by double scoring lines between adjacent sections on each filler beam panel and a tab is integrally formed at a top edge of each filler beam panel and positioned at one of said three sections.

13. The board of claim 12, herein two notch openings are formed at predetermined locations along the double scoring lines on the end wall panel so that each tab of the filler beam panel can protrude through each of said notch openings when the board is folded to form the box.

10. A one-piece board of a foldable tote box of corrugated material, said board comprising a rectangular bottom panel having a predetermined length and width defined by pairs of side and end edges;

a pair of sidewall panels, each having a folding edge integrally connected to one of the side edges of the bottom panel along a first scored folding line, a top edge opposite to the folding edge, and a pair of end edges defining a predetermined height of the box;

two pairs of filler beam panels, each pair of the filler beam panels respectively integrally connected to and extended from said end edges of one of said pair of sidewall panels along second scored folding lines, each of said filler beam panels being capable of folding into a hollow support beam;

a pair of end wall panels respectively integrally connected to and extended from the end edges of the bottom panel along third scored folding lines, each of said end wall panels including an end wall section and a flap section divided by double scoring lines, thereby defining a support surface portion between the double scoring lines; and

locking means being integrally formed with the flap section and engageable with one of the bottom panel and sidewall panels such that the flap section of each end wall panel can hold two support beams formed by said filler beam panels against the end well section of the end wall panel when the box is assembled, wherein said locking means comprises a pair of latch opening formed adjacent to said end edges of each side wall panel, and each latch opening having a latch tongue formed therein; and

a pair of locking holes formed in a pair of lock pieces extended from side edges of each end wall panel such that each locking hole is engageable with each latch tongue on the sidewall panel to lock the box to be formed.

11. The board of claim 10, wherein a longitudinal protrusion extends outwardly along the top edge of each sidewall panel opposite to the folding edge.

14. The board of claim 10, wherein a pair of cover panels are respectively integrally connected to and extended from the top edge of the sidewall, panels to form cover portions of the box.

15. The board of claim 14, wherein a pair of fastening tabs with passing holes are formed respectively at ends of each cover panel to be engageable with the end wall panel to fasten the cover thereon.