Triangular container with preglued ends

• US 7,699,211 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Buckeye Boxes, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Buckeye Boxes, Inc.
• Inventors: Holloway, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins; Gary E
• Application Number:
  US12/237,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 229/115, 229/186, 229/138, 493/121, 493/128, 493/156, 493/157, 493/183
• US Class Current: 229/115
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/008 the container body having a pyramidal shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0236 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by adhesive tapes, labels or the like; for decoration purposes B65D5/4245, B65D5/4262 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/061 Rectangular containers having a body with gusset-flaps folded inwardly beneath the closure flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3614 to form a tubular body, at least one of the ends of the body remaining connected
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4279 Joints, seams, leakproof joints or corners, special connections between panels B65D5/209 takes precedence

Abstract

A substantially planar shipping container blank is configured for planar stacking to permit compact packaging but simplifies the ease of assembly into a triangular shipping container. The container blank is foldably divided into a rectangular longitudinal section, two end sections, and a closure tab. The interior surfaces of certain portions of the end sections are pre-mounted to the interior surface of the longitudinal section. By folding the longitudinal section of the blank along two pre-pressed longitudinal fold lines, the end sections of the blank automatically fold along pre-pressed angular fold lines to form a triangular shipping container. The container can thereafter be fastened shut by folding the closure tab along a third pre-pressed longitudinal fold line and affixing the tab to the exterior of the container.

Claims

1. A substantially planar, partially assembled, triangular shipping container comprising:

(a) a rectangular base panel;

(b) a rectangular rear panel foldably connected to said rectangular base panel along a first longitudinal fold line and having an interior surface for facing an interior of an assembled container;

(c) a rectangular front panel foldably connected to said rectangular base panel along a second longitudinal fold line opposite the first longitudinal fold line;

(d) a first triangular panel foldably connected to the base panel along a first transverse fold line;

(e) a second triangular panel foldably connected to the first triangular panel along a first angled fold line and foldably connected to the interior surface of the rear panel along a second angled fold line;

(f) a third triangular panel foldably connected to the base panel along a second transverse fold line opposite the first transverse fold line;

(g) a fourth triangular panel foldably connected to the third triangular panel along a third angled fold line and foldably connected to the interior surface of the rear panel along a fourth angled fold line;

(h) said first and third triangular panels each including a free side edge opposite said first angled fold line and said third angled fold line, respectively;

(i) a first mounting panel foldably connected to the second triangular panel along the second angled fold line and flatly mounted to the interior surface of the rear panel for foldably connecting the second triangular panel to the interior surface of the rear panel along the second angled fold line; and

(j) a second mounting panel foldably connected to the fourth triangular panel along the fourth angled fold line and flatly mounted to the interior surface of the rear panel for foldably connecting the fourth triangular panel to the interior surface of the rear panel along the fourth angled fold line

wherein said shipping container is adapted to be stacked and packaged with another similar container for conveniently storing and transporting the shipping containers while allowing each shipping container to be fully assembled with a minimal amount of effort prior to its use.

2. The shipping container blank in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a closure tab foldably connected to the front panel along a third longitudinal fold line opposite the second longitudinal fold line.

3. The shipping container blank in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a closure tab foldably connected to the rear panel along a third longitudinal fold line opposite the first longitudinal fold line.

4. A method for preparing shipping container blanks into partially assembled shipping containers that are substantially planar and compactly packaged for storage and shipping before use but also reducing the amount of folding and fastening manipulations that a user must perform in order to assemble the shipping containers, the method comprising:

(a) forming a plurality of shipping container blanks, each blank having a longitudinal section and two end sections, one end section connected to an end of the longitudinal section by a first transverse fold line and the other end section connected at the opposite end of the longitudinal section by a second transverse fold line,

(i) the longitudinal section having a rectangular base panel, a rectangular rear panel foldably connected to said rectangular base panel along a first longitudinal fold line, and a rectangular front panel foldably connected to said rectangular base panel along a second longitudinal fold line opposite the first longitudinal fold line,

(ii) one end section having a first triangular panel foldably connected to the base panel along the first transverse fold line, a second triangular panel foldably connected to the first triangular panel along a first angled fold line, and a first mounting panel foldably connected to the second triangular panel along a third angled fold line,

(iii) the other end section having a third triangular panel foldably connected to the base panel along the second transverse fold line opposite the first transverse fold line, a fourth triangular panel foldably connected to the third triangular panel along a second angled fold line, and a second mounting panel foldably connected to the fourth triangular panel along a fourth angled fold line;

(iv) said first and third triangular panels each including a free side edge opposite said first angled fold line and said second angled fold line, respectively;

(b) folding the end sections inwardly with the interior surfaces of the end sections flatly abutting the interior surface of the longitudinal section;

(c) flatly mounting and securing the first mounting panel to an interior surface of the rear panel for foldably connecting the second triangular panel to the interior surface of the rear panel along the third angled fold line and flatly mounting and securing the second mounting panel to the interior surface of the rear panel for foldably connecting the fourth triangular panel to the interior surface of the rear panel along the fourth angled fold line; and

(d) stacking and packaging the partially assembled shipping containers with their end sections folded and secured.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first mounting panel is flatly mounted to the interior surface of the rear panel by applying adhesive to the first mounting panel and placing the first mounting panel in flat engagement with the interior surface of the rear panel, and wherein the second mounting panel is flatly mounted to the interior surface of the rear panel by applying adhesive to the second mounting panel and placing the second mounting panel in flat engagement with the interior surface of the rear panel.