Materials for and method for manufacturing a container with corner supports and the resulting container

• US 8,297,490 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GYRE Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: York Container Company
• Inventors: Little, Troy, Laughman, Jamie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary
• Application Number:
  US12/752,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20100234201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117, 229/117.01, 229/120.31, 229/122.32, 229/165, 229/185.1, 229/191, 229/199, 206170-191
• US Class Current: 229/122.32
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0075 Paper elements affixed to the container blank before or during erection
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/445 Reinforcements formed separately from the container

Abstract

A method of manufacturing containers, the resulting containers therefrom and the associated pre-assemblies and blanks used in the method and in the resulting containers. The method includes cutting a primary blank and at least one supplementary blank, affixing them together to form a pre-assembly, and assembly the container from the pre-assembly.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a container, the method comprising:

cutting a primary blank including a front panel, back panel, two side panels and at least one bottom panel;

cutting at least one supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending via a first working score from the central section and a support panel mover extending from the at least one support panel;

affixing the at least one central section of the at least one supplementary blank to one of the panels of the primary blank to form a pre-assembly for the container, the at least one support panel extending past an edge of the panel of the primary blank to which the central section is affixed;

affixing the support panel mover of the at least one support panel to the at least one bottom panel; and

assembling the container from the pre-assembly such that movement of the at least one bottom panel to its final assembled position automatically moves the at least one support panel to a position extending diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and an adjacent panel to the one panel of the primary blank.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support panel mover of the at least one support panel includes an extension extending from and coupled to the at least one support panel via a second working score, a tab coupled to the extension via a third working score, and a pad coupled to the tab via a fourth working score and affixed to the at least one bottom panel.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein movement of the at least one bottom panel to its final assembled position results in rotation of the extension about the third working score, and rotation of the at least one support panel about the first and second working scores to a position extending across the corner of the container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and the adjacent panel of the primary blank.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the primary blank further includes a working score connecting the one panel of the primary blank and the adjacent panel to the one panel, and during the forming of the pre-assembly into a flattened position, movement about the working score of the primary blank moves the first and fourth working scores of the supplemental blank to enable the affixing of the tab to the pad and a flattening of the at least one support panel such that it lies between the two adjacent panels of the primary blank.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplementary blank is cut to include two support panels extending via working scores from opposite sides of the central section and

each one of the support panels is configured to extend past an opposed lateral edge of the one panel to which the central section is affixed, and

when the container is fully assembled, one of the support panels snaps into place and extends diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel and an adjacent panel and the other one of the support panels includes the support panel mover and is automatically moved into position extending diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and adjacent panel of the one panel by movement of the at least one bottom panel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein cutting the at least one supplementary blank further comprises cutting two supplementary blanks, each supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending from the central section, via first working scores, and the support panel mover extending from each of the at least one support panels, and

the affixing of the at least one central section of the at least one supplementary blank to one of the panels of the primary blank further comprises affixing the central section of each supplementary blank to a different one of the panels of the primary blank and affixing the support panel mover of each supplementary blank to a respective at least one bottom panel, and

when the container is fully assembled, at least one of the support panels for each supplementary blank is automatically moved to extend diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the panel to which the central section is affixed and an adjacent panel when the respective at least one bottom panel is moved to its fully assembled position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one central section and the panel to which it is affixed are cut to have the same height.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary blank and the at least one supplementary blank are affixed to one another via application of an adhesive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the container is fully assembled, at least one air cell is provided between the at least one corner panel of the supplementary blank and an intersection of the one panel and the adjacent panel the primary blank.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support panel mover is cut to be generally L-shaped.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a top portion of a first leg of the L-shape is connected to the at least one support panel by a second score, a bottom portion of the first leg is connected to the top portion by a third score, and a second leg of the L-shape is connected to the bottom portion of the front leg by a fourth score.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and the second and third scores are transverse to the first and second scores.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and substantially coaxial.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the top portion is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first parallel side being the second score and the third non-parallel side being the third score.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second parallel side is separated from the at least one bottom portion.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second and third scores are transverse to each other.

17. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and the second and third scores are transverse to the first and second scores.

18. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and substantially coaxial.

19. The method according to claim 4, wherein the support panel mover is cut to be L-shaped.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the extension is a part of a first leg of the L-shape and is connected to the at least one support panel by the second working score, the tab is part of the first leg and is connected to the extension by the third working score, and a second leg of the L-shape includes the pad which is connected to the tab by the fourth working score.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the extension is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first side being the second working score and the third non-parallel side being the third working score.

22. A container pre-assembly comprising:

a primary blank including a front panel, back panel, two side panels and at least one bottom panel, wherein at least two of the panels are connected by a first working score enabling the connected panels to rotate relative to one another,

at least one supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending from the central section via a second working score enabling the at least one support panel to rotate relative to the at least one central section, the at least one central section of the at least one supplementary blank and one of the panels of the primary blank being affixed together, and

a support panel mover coupled at one end to the at least one support section and at another end to the at least one bottom panel.

23. The pre-assembly according to claim 22, wherein the support panel mover is cut to be generally L-shaped.

24. The pre-assembly according to claim 23, wherein a top portion of a first leg of the L-shape is connected to the at least one support panel by a second score, a bottom portion of the first leg is connected to the top portion by a third score, and a second leg of the L-shape is connected to the bottom portion of the front leg by a fourth score.

25. The pre-assembly according to claim 24, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and the second and third scores are transverse to the first and second scores.

26. The pre-assembly according to claim 24, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and substantially coaxial.

27. The pre-assembly according to claim 24, wherein the top portion is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first parallel side being the second score and the third non-parallel side being the third score.

28. The pre-assembly according to claim 27, wherein the second parallel side is separated from the bottom portion.

29. The pre-assembly according to claim 25, wherein the second and third scores are transverse to each other.

30. The pre-assembly according to claim 22, wherein the support panel mover of the at least one support panel includes an extension extending from and coupled to the at least one support panel via a second working score, a tab coupled to the extension via a third working score, and a pad coupled to the tab via a fourth working score and affixed to the at least one bottom panel.

31. The pre-assembly according to claim 30, wherein the primary blank further includes a working score connecting the one panel of the primary blank and the adjacent panel to the one panel, and during the forming of the pre-assembly into a flattened position, movement about the working score of the primary blank moves the first and fourth working scores of the supplemental blank to enable the affixing of the tab to the pad and a flattening of the at least one support panel such that it lies between the two adjacent panels of the primary blank.

32. The pre-assembly according to claim 31, wherein the extension is a part of a first leg of the L-shape and is connected to the at least one support panel by the second working score, the tab is part of the first leg and is connected to the extension by the third working score, and a second leg of the L-shape includes a pad which is connected to the tab by the fourth working score.

33. The pre-assembly according to claim 32, wherein the extension is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first side being the second working score and the third non-parallel side being the third working score.

34. The pre-assembly according to claim 22, wherein the at least one supplementary blank includes two support panels extending via working scores from opposite sides of the central section and

each one of the support panels is configured to extend past an opposed lateral edge of the one panel to which the at least one central section is affixed, and

when the container is fully assembled, one of the support panels snaps into place and extends diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel and an adjacent panel and the other one of the support panels includes the support panel mover and is automatically moved into position extending diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and adjacent panel of the one panel by movement of the at least one bottom panel.

35. The pre-assembly according to claim 22, wherein the at least one supplementary blank further comprises two supplementary blanks, each supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending from the at least one central section, via first working scores, and the support panel mover extending from each of the at least one support panels, and

the at least one central section of the at least one supplementary blank is affixed to one of the panels of the primary blank and the central section of each supplementary blank is affixed to a different one of the panels of the primary blank and the support panel mover of each supplementary blank is affixed to a respective at least one bottom panel, and

when the container is fully assembled, at least one of the support panels for each supplementary blank is automatically moved to extend diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the panel to which the central section is affixed and an adjacent panel when the respective at least one bottom panel is moved to its fully assembled position.

36. A plurality of blanks for a container, the plurality of blanks comprising:

a primary blank including a front panel, back panel, two side panels and at least one bottom panel;

at least one supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending from the at least one central section via a first working score, the at least one supplementary blank being configured to mate with and be affixed to one of the panels of the primary blank;

the at least one support section including a support panel mover coupled thereto via a second working score and configured to be affixed to the at least one bottom panel; and

wherein after the blanks are affixed to one another and when the container is fully assembled from a movement of the blanks, the at least one support panel is automatically moved by the support panel mover via the first and second working scores such that the at least one support panel extends diagonally across a corner of the fully assembled container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and an adjacent panel of the primary blank connected by a third working score.

37. The plurality of blanks according to claim 36, wherein the support panel mover is cut to be generally L-shaped.

38. The plurality of blanks according to claim 37, wherein a top portion of a first leg of the L-shape is connected to the at least one support panel by a second score, a bottom portion of the first leg is connected to the top portion by a third score, and a second leg of the L-shape is connected to the bottom portion of the front leg by a fourth score.

39. The plurality of blanks according to claim 38, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and the second and third scores are transverse to the first and second scores.

40. The plurality of blanks according to claim 38, wherein the first and fourth scores are parallel to each other and substantially coaxial.

41. The plurality of blanks according to claim 38, wherein the top portion is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first parallel side being the second score and the third non-parallel side being the third score.

42. The plurality of blanks according to claim 41, wherein the second parallel side is separated from the bottom portion.

43. The plurality of blanks according to claim 39, wherein the second and third scores are transverse to each other.

44. The plurality of blanks according to claim 36, wherein the support panel mover of the at least one support panel includes an extension extending from and coupled to the at least one support panel via a second working score, a tab coupled to the extension via a third working score, and a pad coupled to the tab via a fourth working score and affixed to the at least one bottom panel.

45. The plurality of blanks according to claim 44, wherein the primary blank further includes a working score connecting the one panel of the primary blank and the adjacent panel to the one panel, and during the forming of the pre-assembly into a flattened position, movement about the working score of the primary blank moves the first and fourth working scores of the supplemental blank to enable the affixing of the tab to the pad and a flattening of the at least one support panel such that it lies between the two adjacent panels of the primary blank.

46. The plurality of blanks according to claim 45, wherein the extension is a part of a first leg of the L-shape and is connected to the at least one support panel by the second working score, the tab is part of the first leg and is connected to the extension by the third working score, and a second leg of the L-shape includes a pad which is connected to the tab by the fourth working score.

47. The plurality of blanks according to claim 46, wherein the extension is trapezoidal shaped with first and second parallel sides and third and fourth non-parallel sides, the first side being the second working score and the third non-parallel side being the third working score.

48. The plurality of blanks according to claim 36, wherein the at least one supplementary blank includes two support panels extending via working scores from opposite sides of the central section and

each one of the support panels is configured to extend past an opposed lateral edge of the one panel to which the at least one central section is affixed, and

when the container is fully assembled, one of the support panels snaps into place and extends diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel and an adjacent panel and the other one of the support panels includes the support panel mover and is automatically moved into position extending diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the one panel of the primary blank and adjacent panel of the one panel by movement of the at least one bottom panel.

49. The plurality of blanks according to claim 36, wherein the at least one supplementary blank further comprises two supplementary blanks, each supplementary blank including at least one central section and at least one support section having at least one support panel extending from the at least one central section, via first working scores, and the support panel mover extending from each of the at least one support panels, and

the at least one central section of the at least one supplementary blank is affixed to one of the panels of the primary blank and the at least one central section of each supplementary blank is affixed to a different one of the panels of the primary blank and the support panel mover of each supplementary blank is affixed to a respective at least one bottom panel, and

when the container is fully assembled, at least one of the support panels for each supplementary blank is automatically moved to extend diagonally across a corner of the container formed by the panel to which the central section is affixed and an adjacent panel when the respective at least one bottom panel is moved to its fully assembled position.