Displayable modular container for produce

• US 6,676,012 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Original Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Inventors: Jackson, Keith A., Southwell, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US09/693,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 229/120.17, 229/120.18, 229/191, 229/915, 229/918, 229/919, 206/509, 493/162
• US Class Current: 229/120.17
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/002 having integral corner posts B65D5/0045 and B65D5/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/48018 formed by folding extensions of side panels of a "cross-like" body blank B65D5/4801 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/48022 formed by two parallel panels located in the base of a tray being folded up towards each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/918 Corner construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/919 Reinforced wall

Abstract

A stackable produce container is formed from a flat one-piece blank, typically of corrugated paper stock. The container has reinforced corners and is divided into compartments by transverse ribs which provide resistance to bulging under load and when exposed to high humidity.

Claims

1. A container, folded from a one-piece blank and having at least four side panels, at least two end panels, and at least two bottom panels, said container comprising:

at least two compartments, said compartments separated by a transverse rib and two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed into said compartments at a 90°

angle from said bottom panels and said side panels, respectively;

said transverse rib having a first face directed toward one of said compartments, a second face directed toward another of said compartments, and an upwardly facing edge;

each of said vertical ribs having a first face directed toward one of said compartments, a second face directed toward another of said compartments, and a vertical edge;

each of said vertical ribs having a cut area along said vertical edge at a bottom portion thereof such that said first and second faces of said vertical ribs are divided and said transverse rib is disposed within said vertical rib at said bottom portion; and

four reinforced corners.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said transverse rib has a first and a second end, said first face of said transverse rib having an opening at each of said first and second ends of said transverse rib and said second face of said transverse rib having a tab at each of said first and second ends of said transverse rib, said tabs extending beneath said vertical ribs and through said openings in said first face and.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said vertical ribs further contain a notch along said vertical edge.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said transverse rib is cut along said upwardly facing edge at first and second ends thereof, said first and second faces of said transverse rib having triangular folds therein at each of said first and second ends of said transverse rib for contact with said vertical ribs.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein said vertical edges of said vertical ribs comprise vertical platforms between two fold lines.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein said vertical edges of said vertical ribs comprise vertically-disposed fold lines.

7. A stackable container being formed from a one-piece blank comprising:

at least six side panels and two integral bottom panels forming at least two compartments, each of said compartments being separated by a set of at least one transverse rib and at least two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed at approximately a 90°

angle from said bottom panels and at least two of said side walls, respectively;

said at least one transverse rib having a first side directed toward one of said compartments and a second side directed toward another of said compartments, said transverse rib further extending between at least two opposing ones of said at least six side panels and having first and second end portions and a middle portion;

said first side of said transverse rib being curved outwardly from its adjacent compartment and said second side of said transverse rib being curved outwardly from its adjacent compartment such that said transverse rib is wider at said first and second end portions than at said middle portion; and

four reinforced corners.

8. A stackable container being formed from a one-piece blank comprising:

at least two right side panels, at least two left side panels, at least two end panels and at least two integral bottom panels, said panels forming at least two compartments, each of said compartments being separated from an adjacent compartment by a set of at least one transverse rib and at least two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed into said compartments at 90°

angles from respective ones of said bottom panels and said side panels, said container further comprising four reinforced corners;

said at least one transverse rib having a first end, a second end, a first side facing one of said compartments, and a second side facing another of said compartments;

each of said vertical ribs having a first side, a second side, and an inner edge, each of said vertical ribs being split along said inner edge at a bottom portion of said vertical rib;

said bottom portions of said vertical ribs engaging said transverse rib such that said first side of said vertical rib is disposed outside of said first side of said transverse rib and said second side of said vertical rib is disposed outside of said second side of said transverse rib;

said vertical ribs arranged such that said bottom portion of one of said vertical ribs engages said transverse rib at said first end and said bottom portion of the other of said vertical ribs engages said transverse rib at said second end.

9. The stackable container of claim 8 wherein said vertical ribs are wider than said at least one transverse rib.

10. The stackable container of claim 8 wherein said transverse rib comprises a tab at each of said first and second ends, one of said tabs passing under said bottom portion of one of said vertical ribs and attaching to one of said first and second sides of said vertical rib, the other of said tabs passing under said bottom portion of another of said vertical ribs and attaching ton one of said first and second sides of said vertical rib.

11. The stackable container of claim 8, further comprising a triangular fold on each of said first and second sides of said transverse rib at each of said first and second ends of said transverse rib, and said first and second sides of said vertical ribs are disposed outside of and in contact with said triangular folds.

12. A method of forming from a one-piece blank a container having at least two compartments and comprising at least six side panels and at least two bottom panels separated by at least one transverse rib having first and second ends and at least two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed into an interior of said container at approximately 90°

angles from respective ones of said bottom panel and side panels, said method comprising;

forming said at least one transverse rib by folding said blank along three generally parallel transverse rib fold lines, a middle one of said fold lines becoming an innermost edge of said transverse rib;

forming each of said at least two vertical ribs by folding said blank along at least two sets of three generally parallel vertical rib fold lines, middle ones of said sets of vertical rib fold lines becoming innermost edges of said vertical ribs;

forming said side walls by folding side wall panels at approximately a 90°

angle from said bottom panels;

reinforcing at least one corner of said container where two of said side panels meet by folding at least once a tab at said at least one corner to form a reinforcing panel and securing said panel to an adjacent one of said two side panels; and

engaging outsides of the ends of said transverse rib with said at least two vertical ribs.

13. A container, folded from a one-piece blank and having at least four side panels, at least two end panels, and at least two bottom panels, said container comprising:

at least two compartments, said compartments separated by a transverse rib and two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed into said compartments at a 90°

angle from said bottom panels and said side panels, respectively;

said transverse rib having a first face directed toward one of said compartments, a second face directed toward another of said compartments, and an upwardly facing edge;

each of said vertical ribs having a first face directed toward one of said compartments, a second face directed toward another of said compartments, and a vertical edge;

each of said vertical ribs having a cut area along said vertical edge at a bottom portion thereof such that said first and second faces of said vertical ribs are divided and said transverse rib is disposed within said vertical rib at said bottom portion.

14. A stackable container being formed from a one-piece blank comprising:

at least six side panels and two integral bottom panels forming at least two compartments, each of said compartments being separated by a set of at least one transverse rib and at least two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed at approximately a 90°

angle from said bottom panels and at least two of said side walls, respectively;

said at least one transverse rib having a first side directed toward one of said compartments and a second side directed toward another of said compartments, said transverse rib further extending between at least two opposing ones of said at least six side panels and having first and second end portions and a middle portion;

said first side of said transverse rib being curved outwardly from its adjacent compartment and said second side of said transverse rib being curved outwardly from its adjacent compartment such that said transverse rib is wider at said first and second end portions than at said middle portion.

15. A stackable container being formed from a one-piece blank comprising:

at least two right side panels, at least two left side panels, at least two end panels and at least two integral bottom panels, said panels forming at least two compartments, each of said compartments being separated from an adjacent compartment by a set of at least one transverse rib and at least two vertical ribs, said ribs being disposed into said compartments at 90°

angles from respective ones of said bottom panels and said side panels;

said at least one transverse rib having a first end, a second end, a first side facing one of said compartments, and a second side facing another of said compartments;

each of said vertical ribs having a first side, a second side, and an inner edge, each of said vertical ribs being split along said inner edge at a bottom portion of said vertical rib;

said bottom portions of said vertical ribs engaging said transverse rib such that said first side of said vertical rib is disposed outside of said first side of said transverse rib and said second side of said vertical rib is disposed outside of said second side of said transverse rib;

said vertical ribs arranged such that said bottom portion of one of said vertical ribs engages said transverse rib at said first end and said bottom portion of the other of said vertical ribs engages said transverse rib at said second end.