One-piece container with integral internal cushioning supports

• US 6,685,026 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arvco Container Corporation
• Original Assignee: Arvco Container Corporation
• Inventors: Hanna, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US09/710,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 206/521, 206/586, 206/591-594, 206/449, 206/453, 206/454, 206/456, 229/120.17, 229/120.13, 229/120.21, 229/167
• US Class Current: 206/586
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5021 Integral elements for containers formed by folding-up portions connected to a central panel from all sides

Abstract

A container which is formed from a one-piece blank so as to define a pair of side wall structures which support a fragile article in spaced relation from all external sides of the container. The side wall structures are folded so as to form generally tubular configurations which define respective elongate channels disposed in opposed relation with one another on opposite sides of the container. Opposite edges of the article are inserted into the respective channels so as to be spaced from the top, bottom and all sides of the container to provide protection against impact, for example during storage or transport.

Claims

1. A one-piece container constructed entirely from a one-piece blank of sheet-like corrugated material, said container comprising:

a horizontally enlarged and generally planar bottom wall having a first pair of generally parallel side edges and a second pair of generally parallel side edges extending generally perpendicularly relative to said first side edges;

first and second elongate and upright side walls folded upwardly from said bottom wall about generally horizontal fold lines which extend along the respective said first side edges;

a horizontally enlarged and generally planar top wall integrally joined to at least one of said first and second side walls and pivotable with respect thereto between open and closed positions; and

third and fourth elongate side wall structures disposed in opposed spaced-apart relation with one another and extending transversely with respect to said first and second side walls, each said third and fourth side wall structure being formed in its entirety by a single flap integrally joined to said bottom wall and folded upwardly therefrom about a generally horizontal fold line which extends along one of said second side edges, each said flap being foldable to define an outer wall which forms part of the external surface of said container, each said third and fourth side wall structure including a first support member defining a first support surface thereon which faces upwardly and projects sidewardly and inwardly away from the respective said outer wall and a second support surface which projects upwardly from one edge of said first support surface and is disposed adjacent but spaced horizontally inwardly from the respective said outer wall, and a second support member disposed adjacent said first support member and defining a third support surface which faces downwardly and projects sidewardly and inwardly away from the respective said outer wall and a fourth support surface which projects downwardly from one edge of said third support surface and is disposed adjacent but spaced horizontally inwardly from the respective said outer wall, said support surfaces of each said third and fourth side wall structure together defining a channel which opens generally sidewardly and inwardly, said channels of the opposed third and fourth side wall structures together defining a pocket for receiving a generally plate-like article therein, said first and third support surfaces being disposed in vertically spaced relation with one another to sandwich the article therebetween and maintain the article in vertically spaced relation from said top and bottom walls, said second and fourth support surfaces engaging a side edge of the article and spacing same horizontally from the respective outer wall to prevent damage to the article during storage or transport thereof.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein opposite terminal edges of the plate-like article are disposed within the respective channels, and said third and fourth side wall structures are tubular in configuration and define respective air cushions around upper, lower and side surfaces of the edges of the article disposed within the respective channels to protect same against impact.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said third and fourth side wall structures each include a third support member identical to said first support member, said first and third support members each having an L-shaped transverse cross-section so as to define said first and second support surfaces thereon respectively disposed in generally horizontal and vertical orientations, said second support member being disposed between said first and third support members and having an inverted L-shaped transverse cross-section so as to define said third and fourth support surfaces thereon, said fourth support surface being oriented generally vertically and in coplanar relation with said second support surfaces of said first and third support members, and said third support surface being oriented generally horizontally and in vertically spaced relation with said first support surfaces of said first and third support members.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein said third and fourth side wall structures each include a pair of end walls disposed at respective opposite ends thereof with said first, second and third support members being disposed therebetween, each said end wall defining a support surface thereon which is vertically oriented and extends generally perpendicularly relative to said second and fourth support surfaces of the respective said first, second and third support members, said vertical support surfaces of the respective said end walls being disposed in opposed horizontally spaced relation with one another and maintaining the article in horizontally spaced relation with said first and second side walls.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein said first support surfaces of said first and third support members are vertically spaced from said third support surface of said second support member and engage a first generally horizontally enlarged side of the article, said third support surface of said second support member engaging a second generally horizontally enlarged side of the article facing away from the first side thereof, said second and fourth support surfaces of said first, second and third support members of each said side wall structure engaging respective third and fourth generally vertically oriented sides of the article extending transversely between the first and second sides thereof, and said vertical support surfaces of said end walls of each said side wall structure engaging respective fifth and sixth generally vertically oriented opposite sides of the article extending transversely between the first and second sides thereof and oriented generally perpendicular to the third and fourth sides thereof.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein said third and fourth side wall structures each define a pair of end walls formed by respective end flaps each of which defines a further support surface thereon, said first and second support members being disposed between the respective pair of said end walls, and said support surfaces of said end walls being oriented vertically and engaging a further side edge of the article and spacing same horizontally inwardly from the respective said first and second side wall.

7. The container of claim 1 wherein said outer wall of each said flap is joined to said bottom wall along one said second side edge thereof, said outer wall projecting upwardly from said bottom wall and being oriented generally perpendicular relative thereto, each said flap including a flap part which defines said support members and said support surfaces thereof and which is joined to and folded inwardly along an upper longitudinal edge of the respective said outer wall, said outer wall and said flap part together providing the respective said side wall structure with an elongate tubular configuration having a pair of open opposite ends, and each said flap part defining a pair of end flaps which are foldable inwardly into the respective open ends of said side wall structure to substantially close off same.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein said support members are disposed between the respective pair of end flaps and said end flaps each define a support surface thereon, said first and third support surfaces being disposed to respectively engage oppositely facing upper and lower side surfaces of the article to space same vertically from the respective top and bottom walls and said second and fourth support surfaces being disposed to engage a side edge of the article extending transversely between the upper and lower side surfaces thereof to space the article horizontally inwardly from the respective said outer wall, and said support surfaces of said end flaps being disposed to engage respective oppositely facing end edges of the article and space same inwardly from the respective said first and second side wall.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein a pair of reinforcing flaps are joined to respective upright side edges of each said outer wall, said reinforcing flaps being foldable inwardly so as to be respectively positioned within the open ends of said side wall structure in overlapping relation with the respective said end flaps to reinforce said side wall structure and assist in maintaining same in said tubular configuration.

10. The container of claim 1 wherein said top wall includes a pair of top flaps respectively joined to upper edges of said first and second side walls, said top flaps being foldable inwardly from the respective said side wall so as to be positioned in vertically spaced and generally parallel relation with said bottom wall, and said top flaps having respective terminal longitudinal edges which are parallel to and disposed closely adjacent one another so as to close off an interior of said container in said closed position.

11. A box constructed entirely of corrugated material, said box comprising:

a generally planar bottom wall having a pair of generally parallel first side edges and a pair of generally parallel second side edges extending transversely relative to said first side edges;

first and second elongate and opposed side walls folded upwardly from said bottom wall generally along the respective said first side edges thereof;

third and fourth elongate and opposed end walls extending transversely relative to said first and second side walls and folded upwardly from said bottom wall generally along the respective said second side edges thereof;

a top wall disposed in generally parallel relation with said bottom wall and being spaced upwardly therefrom by said side and end walls, said top wall being joined to one of said side and end walls and swingably movable relative thereto between open and closed positions;

said box having a width dimension as defined between either pair of the opposed side and end walls which is significantly greater than a depth dimension as defined between said top and bottom walls so as to accommodate a generally planar, plate-like object therein; and

a pair of elongate support structures respectively positioned along the pair of opposed end walls in spaced-apart relation with one another, each said support structure including a generally vertically oriented wall generally parallel with the respective end wall and spaced inwardly therefrom to define an air pocket therebetween, and a pair of generally horizontally oriented and vertically spaced wall structures which extend inwardly beyond said vertical wall and define respective air pockets therein, said vertical wall and said wall structures of each said support structure together defining a channel, said channels opening inwardly towards one another for receiving therein opposite terminal edges of the object, said vertical wall and said wall structures of each said support structure together defining an air cushion which surrounds the edge of the object disposed within the respective channel.

12. The box of claim 11 wherein said wall structures respectively define vertically spaced object-supporting surfaces which are generally planar and horizontally oriented and sandwich a terminal edge of the object therebetween, said object-supporting surfaces being vertically spaced from the respective said top and bottom walls.

13. The box of claim 12 wherein said walls of the respective support structures each define a generally planar and vertically oriented object-supporting surface which extends transversely relative to said horizontal object-supporting surfaces and is spaced horizontally inwardly of the respective said end wall.

14. The box of claim 13 wherein said support structures each define a pair of object-supporting end surfaces disposed at respective opposite ends thereof, said object-supporting end surfaces extending transversely relative to the respective horizontal and vertical object-supporting surfaces and being spaced horizontally inwardly of the respective said side walls, said horizontal and vertical object-supporting surfaces and said object-supporting end surfaces spacing the object inwardly of said top, bottom, side and end walls.

15. The box of claim 11 wherein said box is constructed from a one-piece blank of corrugated material and each said support structure and the respective said end wall are formed from a single flap which is integrally joined to said bottom wall along a said second side edge thereof.

16. The box of claim 15 wherein said top wall includes a pair of top flaps which are respectively joined to said first and second side walls along upper edges thereof, each said flap being pivotably movable between an open position to provide access to an interior of said box and a closed position wherein inner free edges of said top flaps are disposed in closely adjacent and opposed relation with one another to close off the interior.

17. The box of claim 11 wherein each of said wall structures are defined by a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally oriented and planar wall parts which project sidewardly and inwardly away from the respective end wall and are connected to one another by an inwardly disposed and generally vertically oriented end wall part joined to the respective wall parts through respective fold lines, said wall parts and said end wall part together defining a hollow air-filled interior for cushioning the object.