Polygonal containers having a locking bottom and blanks and methods for forming the same

• US 8,931,686 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Rock-Tenn Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Brundage, David Joe, Smith, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELKINS, GARY E
• Application Number:
  US12/709,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 229/109, 229/155, 229/156, 229/157, 229/185, 493/162, 493/183
• US Class Current: 229/109
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/26 Folding sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/81 Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/001 stackable
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/029 the tubular body presenting a special shape pyramidal B65D5/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/10 with end closures formed by inward-folding of self-locking flaps hinged to tubular body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/103 one of the self-locking flaps having a tongue engaging into an opening of an opposite flap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4295 Ventilating arrangements, e.g. openings, space elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6632 the lid-halves being held in closed position by flaps or tabs provided at their side edges only B65D5/6644, B65D5/6647 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface

Abstract

A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container is provided. The blank includes two end panels, two side panels, and four corner panels connected in series along a plurality of fold lines. The blank further includes a plurality of bottom panels each extending from one panel of the end panels and the side panels. The plurality of bottom panels is configured to define a locking slot and a locking tab that is insertable into the locking slot to form a bottom wall of the container.

Claims

1. A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container, the blank comprising:

two end panels, two side panels, and four corner panels connected in series along a plurality of fold lines, each of the four corner panels having a free bottom edge; and

a plurality of bottom panels each extending from one panel of the end panels and the side panels, at least three bottom panels of the plurality of bottom panels each having a first outwardly angled portion and a first inwardly angled portion that cooperate to at least partially define a corner projection, each first outwardly angled portion is configured to extend proximate to a respective one of the free bottom edges when the container is erected such that each respective corner projection forms a portion of a bottom wall of the erected container, the plurality of bottom panels configured to define a locking slot and a locking tab that is insertable into the locking slot to form another portion of the bottom wall of the erected container.

2. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of bottom panels comprises:

a first bottom end panel extending from a bottom edge of a first end panel of the two end panels;

a second bottom end panel extending from a bottom edge of a second end panel of the two end panels;

a first bottom side panel extending from a bottom edge of a first side panel of the two side panels; and

a second bottom side panel extending from a bottom edge of a second side panel of the two side panels.

3. A blank in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first bottom side panel defines the locking tab.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 2 wherein the locking slot is defined by the first bottom end panel, the second bottom end panel, and the second bottom side panel.

5. A blank in accordance with claim 4 wherein the first bottom end panel defines a first locking extension;

the second bottom end panel defines a second locking extension; and

the second bottom side panel defines a locking indentation.

6. A blank in accordance with claim 5 wherein the first locking extension, the second locking extension, and the locking indentation are configured to define the locking slot.

7. A blank in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of top panels each extending from one panel of the end panels and the side panels, the plurality of top panels configured to form a top wall of the container.

8. A blank in accordance with claim 7 wherein the plurality of top panels are configured to interlock using tabs and slots defined by the plurality of top panels to form the top wall.

9. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein each first outwardly angled portion is configured to be co-linear with a respective one of the free bottom edges when the container is erected.

10. A container formed from a blank of sheet material, the container comprising:

two end walls, two side walls, and four corner walls connected in series along a plurality of fold lines, each of the four corner walls having a free bottom edge; and

a bottom wall formed from a plurality of bottom panels each extending from one wall of the end walls and the side walls, at least three bottom panels of the plurality of bottom panels each having a first outwardly angled portion and a first inwardly angled portion that cooperate to at least partially define a corner projection, each first outwardly angled portion extends proximate to a respective one of the free bottom edges such that each respective corner projection forms a portion of the bottom wall of the erected container, the plurality of bottom panels configured to define a locking slot and a locking tab that is insertable into the locking slot to form another portion of the bottom wall.

11. A container in accordance with claim 10 wherein the plurality of bottom panels forming the bottom wall comprises:

a first bottom end panel extending from a bottom edge of a first end wall of the two end walls;

a second bottom end panel extending from a bottom edge of a second end wall of the two end walls;

a first bottom side panel extending from a bottom edge of a first side wall of the two side walls; and

a second bottom side panel extending from a bottom edge of a second side wall of the two side walls.

12. A container in accordance with claim 11 wherein the locking tab is defined by the first bottom side panel and the locking slot is defined by the first bottom end panel, the second bottom end panel, and the second bottom side panel.

13. A container in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a top wall formed from a plurality of top panels each extending from one panel of the end panels and the side panels.

14. A container in accordance with claim 13 wherein the top wall is formed by interlocking the plurality of top panels together using tabs and slots defined by the plurality of top panels.

15. A container in accordance with claim 10, wherein each first outwardly angled portion is co-linear with a respective one of the free bottom edges.

16. A method for forming a container from a blank of sheet material, the method comprising:

rotating a plurality of wall panels about a plurality of fold lines to form a first side wall, an opposing second side wall, a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a plurality of corner walls that each have a free bottom edge; and

rotating a plurality of bottom panels with respect to the plurality of wall panels to form a bottom wall, the plurality of bottom panels defining a locking slot and a locking tab insertable into the locking slot, at least three bottom panels of the plurality of bottom panels each having a first outwardly angled portion and a first inwardly angled portion that cooperate to at least partially define a corner projection, each first outwardly angled portion extends proximate to a respective one of the free bottom edges when the container is erected such that each respective corner projection forms a portion of the bottom wall of the erected container.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein rotating a plurality of bottom panels with respect to the plurality of wall panels to form a bottom wall further comprises:

rotating a first bottom end panel with respect to the first end wall;

rotating a second bottom end panel with respect to the second end wall;

rotating a first bottom side panel with respect to the first side wall; and

rotating a second bottom side panel with respect to the second side wall.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the locking tab is defined by the first bottom side panel and rotating a first bottom side panel comprises inserting the locking tab into the locking slot.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein rotating a plurality of bottom panels with respect to the plurality of wall panels to form a bottom wall further comprising defining the locking slot with the first bottom end panel, the second bottom end panel, and the second bottom side panel.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein rotating a plurality of wall panels about a plurality of fold lines further comprises forming four corner walls.

21. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising rotating a plurality of top panels with respect to the plurality of wall panels to form a top wall.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising interlocking the plurality of top panels to form the top wall using slots and tabs defined by the plurality of top panels.

23. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein rotating the plurality of bottom panels further comprises rotating the plurality of bottom panels such that each first outwardly angled portion is co-linear with a respective one of the free bottom edges.