Stackable packing tray with diagonal corners

• US 8,205,787 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: International Paper Company
• Inventors: Fry, Stanley L., Panduro, Edmundo Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYRD, LATRICE CHENELL
• Application Number:
  US11/495,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20070051789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 229/143, 229/173, 229/178, 229/919
• US Class Current: 229/143
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0015 the container being formed by folding up portions connected to a central panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6629 the lid being formed by two mating halves joined to opposite edges of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/919 Reinforced wall

Abstract

This invention relates to stackable, open-topped, partially-lidded, and/or fully-lidded shipping and/or display container, and more particularly to a corrugated paperboard stackable container for shipping and displaying products such as, for example, agricultural produce.

Claims

1. A container having opposed side walls, opposed end walls, and a bottom wall, said bottom wall cooperating with said side walls and said end walls to define an interior space, said container comprising:

a lid foldably connected along a fold line to an upper edge of at least one of said end walls, said lid being foldable relative to said at least one end wall so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position, wherein said lid at least partially covers said interior space when in said closed position;

said side walls each comprising an outer side wall panel and an inner side wall panel foldably joined to one another by spaced webs forming upwardly extending tabs on respective upper edges of the side walls, said inner side wall panels lying against an interior surface of a respective outer side wall panel and being substantially coextensive in height and length therewith;

a minor flap on each of the opposite ends of each said inner and outer side wall panel, said minor flaps folded inwardly from respective said inner and outer side wall panels to lie against one another and against a respective adjacent said end wall and terminating at an inner end lying against said end wall;

a shaped notch formed in an upper edge of each said minor flap, said shaped notches each having an undercut shoulder at one side edge thereof;

a self-locking feature formed in said lid adjacent each said minor flap, each said self-locking feature being defined by spaced cuts extending into said lid from said fold line to form a roll-over flap cut from said lid, said roll-over flap connected at one end thereof with said at least one end wall by a web, said spaced cuts extending across said fold line at opposite ends of said web and into said one end wall to define a heel on said one end of said roll-over flap, said heel being cut from an upper edge of said end wall, each said roll-over flap being folded from the plane of said lid and inwardly and downwardly over an adjacent said minor flap to lie against an inner surface of a respective adjacent said minor flap, with said web received in said shaped notch so that one edge of said web is engaged beneath said undercut shoulder and said heel extends upwardly from said roll-over flap and lies against an inner surface of a respective adjacent said minor flap, said shaped notch forming a detent to retain said web therein, and said roll-over flaps holding said minor flaps in position against a respective said end wall;

openings formed in said lid where material has been removed between said cuts to form said roll-over flaps; and

a locking flap foldably joined to each of the opposite end edges of said lid along respective fold lines collinear with a respective said end edge, cuts extending from said fold lines into a respective adjacent edge of said lid to form a heel portion on each said locking flap and an opening at each said end edge, said tabs on the upper edges of the inner and outer side wall panels extending into said openings when said locking flaps are folded downwardly against an outer surface of a respective said end wall, and said heel portion extending upwardly and lying against an outer surface of a respective said tab to hold said locking flaps in downwardly folded locked positions to hold said lid closed.

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said side walls and end walls is inwardly inclined to prevent nesting of one said container into another said container when the containers are stacked on top of one another.

3. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a narrow diagonally extending corner panel is connected between each said minor flap and an associated said side wall.

4. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

ventilation openings are formed in at least one of said side walls and end walls.

5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said spaced upwardly extending tabs on the upper edges of said side walls form stacking tabs; and

at least one opening is in the bottom wall of the container in position to receive the stacking tabs of a subjacent container when said containers are stacked on top of one another.

6. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the narrow diagonally extending corner panels form exterior corners of the container, and corners of the bottom wall extend beyond the diagonal corner panels.

7. A container having opposed side walls, opposed end walls, and a bottom wall, said bottom wall cooperating with said side walls and said end walls to define an interior space, said container comprising:

a minor flap on each of the opposite ends of each said side wall, said minor flaps folded inwardly from said side walls to lie against a respective adjacent said end wall;

a shaped notch formed in an upper edge of each said minor flap, said shaped notches each having an undercut shoulder at one side edge thereof;

a lid foldably connected along a first fold line to an upper edge of at least one of said end walls, said lid being foldable relative to said at least one end wall so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position, wherein said lid at least partially covers said interior space when in said closed position;

a roll-over flap cut from said lid by spaced cuts extending into said lid from said first fold line, said roll-over flap connected at one end thereof with said at least one end wall by a web, said spaced cuts extending across said first fold line at opposite ends of said web and into said one end wall to define a heel on said one end of said roll-over flap, said heel lying on a side of said first fold line opposite said flap, each said roll-over flap being folded from the plane of said lid and inwardly and downwardly over an adjacent said minor flap to lie against an inner surface of a respective adjacent said minor flap, with said web received in said shaped notch so that one edge of said web is engaged beneath said undercut shoulder and said heel extends upwardly from said roll-over flap and lies against an inner surface of a respective adjacent said minor flap to hold said minor flaps in position against a respective said end wall;

at least one tab projecting upwardly from an upper edge of each said side wall; and

a locking flap foldably joined to each of the opposite end edges of said lid along respective second fold lines collinear with a respective said end edge, cuts extending from said second fold lines into a respective adjacent edge of said lid to form a heel portion on each said locking flap and an opening at each said end edge, said tabs on the upper edges of the side walls extending into said openings when said locking flaps are folded downwardly against an outer surface of a respective said end wall, and said heel portion extending upwardly and lying against an outer surface of a respective said tab to hold said locking flaps in downwardly folded locked positions to hold said lid closed.