Container having a plurality of selectable volumes

• US 6,676,009 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold J. Rose
• Original Assignee: Harold J. Rose
• Inventors: Rose, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Tri M.
• Application Number:
  US09/635,269
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 229/101, 229/237, 229/101.1, 229/101.2, 229/942, 229/236, 229/200, 229/221, 229/223
• US Class Current: 229/101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0005 of variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body

Abstract

A container having a plurality of selectable volumes including a plurality of fold facilitating creases adapted to allow panels to be folded or removed along a fold facilitating crease and/or perforation, further including a first set and a second set of perforations or other separating mechanism extending substantially parallel to a corner edge to thereby define a removable strip for unconnecting panels that form a corner edge from one another. The first set of perforations and the second set of perforations or other separating mechanism are positioned at a spaced distance from each other. The first set of perforations or other separating mechanism is provided on a first panel while the second set of perforations or other separating mechanism is provided on either the corner edge itself or a second panel that form the corner edge. The container may further include lateral perforations as well as flaps, tabs, slits and slots along a top edge of the panels.

Claims

1. A container having a plurality of selectable volumes so that volume of said container may be selected when said container is assembled and functional to hold contents therein, said container comprising:

a bottom portion formed by a plurality of bottom flaps, each bottom flap having plurality of free edge;

a plurality of panels attached to and extending upwardly from said bottom portion, each of said plurality of panels having edges which are attached to edges of each other to thereby form a plurality of corner edges of said container;

at least one fold facilitating crease laterally extending across said plurality of panels, said at least one fold facilitating crease being positioned between said bottom portion and tops of said plurality of panels so as to allow said plurality of panels to be folded along said at least one fold facilitating crease to select volume of said container where said container is assembled; and

a first set and a second set of perforations, said first set of perforations vertically extending substantially parallel to at least one corner edge and terminating prior to said plurality of free edges on said corresponding bottom flap, and said second set of perforations vertically extending substantially parallel to said first set of perforations, said first set and said second set of perforations thereby defining a removable strip for unconnecting from one another two panels that form said at least one corner edge to facilitate selection of the volume of said container by unconnecting said two panels and folding said two panels along said at least one fold facilitating crease to thereby reduce volume of said container when said container is assembled;

wherein said first set of perforations and said second set of perforations are positioned at a spaced distance from each other, said spaced distance being sufficient to allow a user to grasp said strip for removal of at least a part thereof; and

wherein said first set of perforations is provided on a first panel, and said second set of perforations is provided on at least one of said at least one corner edge and a second panel that together with said first panel, forms said at least one corner edge, said first set of perforations being positioned on said first panel at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said at least one corner edge, and said second set of perforations being positioned at a spaced distance up to about 2 inches from said at least one corner edge.

2. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said at least one fold facilitating crease includes an identifiable marking to facilitate identification of said at least one fold facilitating crease on said plurality of panels.

3. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said first set of perforations is a plurality of first set of perforations and said second set of perforations is a plurality of second set of perforations, said plurality of first set of perforations and said plurality of second set of perforations extending substantially parallel to each of said plurality of corner edges to allow unconnecting of said plurality of panels that form said plurality of corner edges.

4. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, further including panel flaps attached along a top edge of each of said plurality of panels and at least one of a slit and a slot provided along said top edge between said first set and said second set of perforations to thereby facilitate grasping of said removable strip.

5. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said second set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said at least one corner edge.

6. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said second set of perforations is positioned on said at least one corner edge.

7. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said removable strip is reinforced with a reinforcement backing to facilitate removal of said removable strip.

8. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said at least one fold facilitating crease is formed by a fold facilitating perforation.

9. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 8, wherein said fold facilitating perforation is adapted to allow removal of at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of panels.

10. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion has a polygonal shape.

11. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 10, wherein said bottom portion has a rectangular shape so that said container is rectangular.

12. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 10, wherein said bottom portion has a triangular shape so that said container is triangular.

13. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, further including at least one lateral perforation extending laterally between said first set of perforations and said second set of perforations to allow detachment of at least a portion of said removable strip.

14. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 13, wherein said at least one lateral perforation is positioned at a height distance larger than said at least one fold facilitating crease so that a tab is provided upon folding of said plurality of panels along said at least one of said fold facilitating creases.

15. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 14, further including panel flaps attached along a top edge of each of said plurality of panels, wherein said tab is adapted to be inwardly folded together with said panel flaps to cover an opening of said container.

16. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 1, further including panel flaps and tabs that are attached along a top edge of at least one of said plurality of panels, wherein said tabs are adapted to be inwardly folded together with said panel flaps to cover an opening of said container.

17. A container having a plurality of selectable volumes so that volume of said container may be selected when said container is assembled and functional to hold contents therein, said container comprising:

a bottom portion having a substantially rectangular shape, formed by a plurality of bottom flaps, each bottom flap having free edges, said bottom portion having two substantially parallel side edges and two substantially parallel end edges;

two side panels attached to and extending upwardly from said two side edges of said bottom portion;

two end panels attached to and extending upwardly from said two end edges of said bottom portion, each of said two end panels having edges which are attached to edges of each of said two side panels to thereby form four corner edges of said container;

a plurality of fold facilitating creases laterally extending across said two side panels and said two end panels, said plurality of fold facilitating creases being positioned between said bottom portion and tops of said two side panels and said two end panels so as to allow said two side panels and said two end panels to be folded along at least one of said plurality of fold facilitating creases to select volume of said container when said container is assembled; and

a first set and a second set of perforations said first set of perforations, vertically extending substantially parallel to a corner edge and terminating before reaching one of said free edges on said corresponding bottom flap, and said second set of perforations vertically extending substantially parallel to said first set of perforations, said first set and said second set of perforations thereby allowing unconnecting of a side panel and an end panel that form said corner edge to facilitate selection of the volume of said container by unconnecting said two panels and folding said two panels along at least one of said plurality of fold facilitating crease to thereby reduce volume of said container when said container is assembled;

wherein said first set of perforations is provided on one of said side panel and said end panel that form said corner edge, said first set of perforations being positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said corner edge, and said second set of perforations is provided on at least one of said corner edge and the other of said side panel and said end panel that form said corner edge, said second set of perforations being positioned at a spaced distance up to about 2 inches from said corner edge;

wherein said first set of perforations is a plurality of first set of perforations and said second set of perforations is a plurality of second set of perforations, said plurality of first set of perforations and said plurality of second set of perforations extending substantially parallel to said four corner edges to allow unconnecting of said two side panels and said two end panels that form each of said four corner edges;

wherein each of said plurality of first set of perforations is provided on one of said side panel and said end panel and is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from at least one corner edge, and each of said plurality of second set of perforations is provided on the other of said side panel and said end panel and is positioned at a spaced distance up to about 2 inches from at least one corner edge.

18. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, wherein said at least one fold facilitating crease includes an identifiable marking to facilitate identification of at least one fold facilitating crease on said two side panels and said two end panels.

19. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, wherein at least one fold facilitating crease is formed by a fold facilitating perforation.

20. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 19, wherein said fold facilitating perforation is adapted to allow removal of at least a portion of at least one of said two side panels and said two end panels.

21. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of lateral perforations that extend laterally between said plurality of first set of perforations and said plurality of second set of perforations, each of said plurality of lateral perforations being positioned at a height distance between said plurality of fold facilitating creases.

22. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of lateral perforations that extend laterally between said plurality of first set of perforations and said plurality of second set of perforations, each of said plurality of lateral perforations being positioned at a height distance to laterally align with said plurality of fold facilitating creases.

23. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, further including side panel flaps attached along a top edge of each of said two side panels and end panel flaps attached along a top edge of each of said two end panels.

24. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 23, further including at least one top edge tab attached along a top edge of at least one of said two side panels and said two end panels.

25. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 24, further including at least one of a slit and a slot provided along said top edge between said first set and said second set of perforations.

26. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, wherein said first set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅞

to 2 inches from said corner edge, and said second set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅞

to 2 inches from said corner edge.

27. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 26, wherein said first set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance about 1 inch from said corner edge, and said second set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance about 1 inch from said corner edge.

28. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 26, further including at least one lateral perforation extending laterally between said first set of perforations and said second set of perforations.

29. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 28, wherein said at least one lateral perforation is positioned at a height distance larger than at least one fold facilitating crease.

30. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 28, wherein said at least one lateral perforation is positioned at a same height distance as at least one fold facilitating crease.

31. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, wherein said first set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅞

to 2 inches from said corner edge, and said second set of perforations is positioned on said corner edge.

32. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 31, wherein said first set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance about 1 inch from said corner edge.

33. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 31, further including at least one lateral perforation extending laterally between said first set of perforations and said second set of perforations.

34. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 33, wherein said at least one lateral perforation is positioned at a height distance larger than at least one fold facilitating crease.

35. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 33, wherein said at least one lateral perforation is positioned at a same height distance as at least one fold facilitating crease.

36. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of second set of perforations is provided on the other of said side panel and said end panel and is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said at least one corner edge.

37. A container having a plurality of selectable volumes so that volume of said container may be selected when said container is assembled and functional to hold contents therein, said container comprising:

a bottom portion having a plurality of edges;

a plurality of panels attached to and extending upwardly from said plurality of edges of said bottom portion, each of said plurality of panels having edges which are attached to edges of each other to thereby form a plurality of corner edges of said container;

at least one fold facilitating crease laterally extending across said plurality of panels, said at least one fold facilitating crease being positioned between said bottom portion and tops of said plurality of panels and being adapted to allow said plurality of panels to be folded along said at least one fold facilitating crease to select volume of said container when said container is assembled thereby providing a container having a plurality of selectable volumes; and

a separating means for unconnecting from one another two panels that form at least one corner edge to facilitate selection of volume of said container, said separating means extending vertically relative to said at least one fold facilitating crease and being substantially parallel to said at least one corner edge, said separating means having a width dimension sufficient to allow a user to grasp and pull said separating means to thereby unconnected said two panels that form at least one corner edge and to reduce volume of said container when said container is assembled by folding said two panels along said at least one fold facilitating crease;

wherein said separating means is a removable strip defined by a first set of perforations and a second set of perforations positioned at a spaced distance from each other and terminating above said plurality of edges of said bottom portion, said spaced distance being sufficient to allow a user to grasp said strip; and

wherein said first set of perforations is provided on one of a side panel and an end panel which together define said at least one corner edge and is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said at least one corner edge, and said second set of perforations is provided on the other of said side panel and said end panel and is positioned at a spaced distance up to about 2 inches from at least one corner edge.

38. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 37 further including at least one lateral separating means extending laterally between said first set and second set of separating means to allow detachment of at least a portion of said removable strip.

39. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 38, wherein said at least one lateral separating means is at least one of a perforation and a pullable reinforcement.

40. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 37, wherein said separating means further includes a pullable reinforcement.

41. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 40, wherein said pullable reinforcement is a least one of attached to and embedded on at least one said plurality of panels.

42. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 41, wherein said pullable reinforcement extends parallel to said at least one corner edge.

43. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 42, wherein said pullable reinforcement extends to and terminates at said at least one fold facilitating crease.

44. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 43, wherein said at least one fold facilitating crease is a plurality of fold facilitating creases and said pullable reinforcement is a plurality of pullable reinforcement segments, each of plurality of pullable reinforcement segments extending between said plurality of fold facilitating creases.

45. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 42, wherein said pullable reinforcement includes a reinforcing filament extending therethrough.

46. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 37, wherein said second set of perforations is positioned on said at least one corner edge.

47. The container having a plurality of selectable volumes of claim 37, wherein said second set of perforations is positioned at a spaced distance between about ⅛

to 2 inches from said at least one corner edge.