Beverage cooler box

• US 6,631,803 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated), MillerCoors LLC (Molson Coors Beverage Co.)
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging Corporation (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated), Coors Brewing Company Incorporated (Molson Coors Brewing Company)
• Inventors: Kaczmarek, Stephen Mark, Gresge, Gary Lawrence, Schuetz, Brett Lee, Edson, Patrick B., Shibata, Patricia O., Rhodes, Terrance E., Cruz, Michael Christopher, Buxton, Lee, Kastanek, Raymond Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Luan K.
• Application Number:
  US09/815,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 206/427, 206/541, 206/542, 206/545, 534/68, 534/91, 229/103, 229/101, 229/210, 229/223, 624/575, 624/577, 624/578, 624/579, 624/571, 493/63, 493/162
• US Class Current: 206/427
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00574 whereby contents can still be carried after the line has been torn
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/563 Laminated linings; Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A beverage cooler box is provided which is intended to receive ice or other cooling means to keep containers packaged therein cool. The box is made of a material which is impervious to liquid which may be contained within the box during use. The box includes folding end panels which extend continuously between adjacent front and rear panels; therefore, there are no seams or breaks in the material around the lower portion of the box which might degrade the ability of the box to hold a liquid. Also disclosed is a method of assembling the cooler box.

Claims

1. A beverage cooler box comprising:

a plurality of panels including opposing front and rear panels, opposing upper and lower panels, and opposing end panels, said plurality of panels when assembled forming a container enclosing an interior space, said front and rear panels having respective upper and lower portions; and

said end panels each including a foldable upper flap and a foldable lower flap, said foldable lower flap not attached to said foldable upper flap each said foldable lower flap including a major lower flap attached along an edge of said lower panel and a pair of opposing minor lower flaps continuously interconnecting the major lower flap and the lower portions of said front and rear panels thereby defining a liquid containment area.

2. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said upper panel includes at least a pair of perforations defining a lid, said lid being activated by lifting a portion of the upper panel between said perforations to break the perforations.

3. A box, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

closing tabs formed on said upper panel.

4. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said end panels further include handle openings formed therethrough.

5. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said foldable upper flap includes a major upper flap attached along an edge of said upper panel and a pair of opposing minor upper flaps attached along edges of said front and rear panels.

6. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said minor lower flaps each include a diagonal line enabling them to be folded back upon themselves.

7. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of panels include designated score lines and fold lines defining areas on the box which are folded when the box is assembled to achieve a final box shape.

8. A box, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

adjacent minor upper and minor lower flaps include a gap situated therebetween.

9. A box, as claim in claim 5, further including:

a web interconnecting corresponding upper minor and lower minor flaps.

10. A box, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said major lower flap is connected between said pair of opposing minor lower flaps, and said major lower flap is foldable upward which also simultaneously folds said pair of opposing minor lower panels back upon themselves.

11. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said box includes a liquid level line defining a recommended maximum fill line for liquid within said box.

12. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said upper panel includes an exterior panel flap, and an interior panel flap secured to said exterior panel flap.

13. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of panels are made from a single sheet of precut material.

14. A box, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said box is made of a composite material including a substrate and a polyethylene film bonded to said substrate.

15. A box, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said polyethylene film is bonded to said substrate by a polyethylene extrudate.

16. A method of assembling a beverage cooler box comprising the steps of:

providing precut material including a plurality of score lines and fold lines;

securing opposite ends of the material and connecting said opposite ends to form an upper panel of the box;

folding the material along designated fold lines to define front, rear, and lower panels of the box;

further folding the material along other designated fold lines and score lines to form a pair of opposing end panels, each said end panel including a plurality of flaps defining a continuous and unbroken interconnection of material between the front and rear panels;

further folding the material along the continuous and unbroken interconnection of material thereby closing the end panels against the cooler box and maintaining an unbroken seal defining a liquid containment area; and

forming perforations on the upper panel, said perforations forming a lid.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 16, further including the steps of:

constructing the material from at least two layers, said two layers including a substrate and a water-impermeable membrane.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said material includes a substrate and a polyethylene film bonded to said substrate.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said polyethylene film is bonded to said substrate by a polyethylene extrudate.

20. A beverage cooler box comprising:

a plurality of panels including opposing front and rear panels, opposing upper and lower panels, and opposing end panels, said plurality of panels when assembled forming a container enclosing an interior space;

means for sealing said cooler box, said means for sealing enabling liquid to be contained within said interior space;

perforations formed on said upper panel defining a lid; and

wherein said lower panel, lower portions of said front and rear panels and said end panels define a liquid containment area extending continuously and unbroken around said cooler box, said end panels including a plurality of foldable flaps continuously interconnecting said end panels to said front and rear panels.

21. A beverage cooler box, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said means for sealing includes a polyethylene film.

22. A beverage cooler box, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said means for sealing includes a polyethylene film and a coating of polyethylene extrudate.

23. A beverage cooler box, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said means for sealing includes a water impermeable membrane.

24. A box, as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

a handle opening form through each said end panel.

25. A box, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said foldable flaps of said end panels each include a foldable upper flap and a foldable lower flap.

26. A box, as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

said foldable upper flap includes a major upper flap attached along an edge of said upper panel and a pair of opposing minor upper flaps attached along edges of said front and rear panels.

27. A box, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

adjacent minor upper and minor lower flaps include a gap situated therebetween.

28. A box, as claimed in claim 26, further including:

a web interconnecting corresponding upper minor and lower minor flaps.

29. A beverage cooler box comprising:

a plurality of panels including opposing front and rear panels, opposing upper and lower panels, and opposing end panels, said plurality of panels when assembled forming a container enclosing an interior space, said front and rear panels having respective upper and lower portions;

wherein said end panels each include a foldable upper flap and a foldable lower flap, said lower foldable flaps of each said end panel along with said lower portions of said front and rear panels and said lower panel defining a liquid containment area; and

said foldable upper flap includes a major upper flap attached along an edge of said upper panel and a pair of opposing minor upper flaps attached along edges of said front and rear panels, and wherein said foldable lower flap includes a major lower flap attached along an edge of said lower panel and a pair of opposing minor lower flaps located below said minor upper flaps, and attached to said front and rear panels.

30. A box, as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said minor lower flaps each include a diagonal line enabling them to be folded back upon themselves.

31. A box, as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

adjacent minor upper and minor lower flaps include a gap situated therebetween.

32. A box, as claimed in claim 29, further including:

a web interconnecting corresponding upper minor and lower minor flaps.

33. A box, as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said major lower flap is connected between said pair of opposing minor lower flaps, and said major lower flap is foldable upward which also simultaneously folds said pair of opposing minor lower panels back upon themselves.

34. A beverage cooler box comprising:

a plurality of panels including opposing front and rear panels, opposing upper and lower panels, and opposing end panels, said end panels each including a foldable upper flap and a foldable lower flap, said lower foldable flaps of each said end panel along with lower portions of said front and rear panels forming a continuous and unbroken interconnection of material defining a liquid containment area; and

a plurality of perforations formed on said upper panel, said perforations defining a lid wherein when the perforations are broken and the lid is opened, contents of the beverage cooler box are exposed.

35. A method of assembling a beverage cooler box comprising the steps of:

providing a piece of precut material including a plurality of designated lines;

folding the material along the designated lines to define front and rear panels, upper and lower panels, and a pair of opposing end panels, each said end panel including a plurality of flaps defining a continuous and unbroken interconnection of material between the front and rear panels;

further folding the material along the continuous end unbroken interconnection of material thereby closing the end panels against the cooler box, the unbroken interconnection of material and lower portions of said front and rear panels defining a liquid containment area; and

forming perforations on the upper panel, said perforations defining a lid.