Convertible shipping container having reinforced corners and blanks for making the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A shipping container comprising:
- a front wall, a first side wall, a rear wall, and a second side wall, each of said front wall, first side wall, rear wall, and second side wall having top and bottom edges and opposing side edges;
a top wall connected to said front wall along the top edge of said front wall and connected to said rear wall along the top edge of said rear wall, said top wall having opposing side edges;
a bottom wall; and
a removable access panel having a front portion and a top portion, wherein said front and top portions are defined by a continuous line of weakness extending from said top wall along at least a portion of said top edge of said first side wall and into said front wall,wherein, when said removable access panel is removed, a first access opening is created within said top wall and a second access opening is created within said front wall,wherein said first access opening comprises a substantial portion of said top wall, and said second access opening comprises a substantial portion of said front wall, wherein the continuous line of weakness extends at least along the top edge of said front wall and within said front wall at a distance spaced from at least one of said opposing side edges of said front wall to at least partially define a first front shoulder portion, wherein at least a portion of a top edge of said first front shoulder portion is a free edge that includes a portion extending from a corner defined between the front wall, the top wall, and at least one of the first and second side walls, the portion extending from the corner and at least partially along the top edge of said front wall when said removable access panel is removed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A blank of sheet material for forming a convertible shipping container is provided. The blank includes a removable access panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, and a rear panel. Each of top, bottom, rear, and front panels include side flaps extending from a side edge of each top, bottom, rear, and front panel. The removable access panel includes an access hole, a return hole, and relief creases to facilitate removal after the container is formed. The shipping container includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and four corner structures.
31 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A shipping container comprising:
-
a front wall, a first side wall, a rear wall, and a second side wall, each of said front wall, first side wall, rear wall, and second side wall having top and bottom edges and opposing side edges; a top wall connected to said front wall along the top edge of said front wall and connected to said rear wall along the top edge of said rear wall, said top wall having opposing side edges; a bottom wall; and a removable access panel having a front portion and a top portion, wherein said front and top portions are defined by a continuous line of weakness extending from said top wall along at least a portion of said top edge of said first side wall and into said front wall, wherein, when said removable access panel is removed, a first access opening is created within said top wall and a second access opening is created within said front wall, wherein said first access opening comprises a substantial portion of said top wall, and said second access opening comprises a substantial portion of said front wall, wherein the continuous line of weakness extends at least along the top edge of said front wall and within said front wall at a distance spaced from at least one of said opposing side edges of said front wall to at least partially define a first front shoulder portion, wherein at least a portion of a top edge of said first front shoulder portion is a free edge that includes a portion extending from a corner defined between the front wall, the top wall, and at least one of the first and second side walls, the portion extending from the corner and at least partially along the top edge of said front wall when said removable access panel is removed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A blank of sheet material for forming a shipping container, the blank comprising:
-
a bottom panel, a front panel, a top panel, and a rear panel coupled in series by a plurality of fold lines, wherein each of said bottom panel, said front panel, said top panel, and said rear panel include opposing side edges; opposing side flaps coupled by a plurality of fold lines to each of said opposing side edges of each of said bottom panel, said front panel, said top panel, and said rear panel; a removable access panel having a front portion and a top portion, wherein said front and top portions are defined by a continuous line of weakness extending from said top panel along at least a portion of a first of said side edges of said top panel and into said front panel, wherein when said removable access panel is removed, a first access opening is created within said top panel and a second access opening is created within said front panel, wherein said first access opening comprises a substantial portion of said top panel, and said second access opening comprises a substantial portion of said front panel, wherein the continuous line of weakness extends at least along the fold line between said top panel and said front panel, and extends within said front panel at a distance spaced from at least one of said opposing side edges of said front panel to define a first front shoulder portion, wherein at least a portion of a top edge of said first front shoulder portion is a free edge that includes a portion extending from a corner defined between the front panel, the top panel, and at least one of the opposing side panels when the shipping container is formed, the portion extending from the corner and at least partially along a top edge of said front panel when said removable access panel is removed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of forming a shipping container from a blank of sheet material, the blank comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a top panel, and a rear panel coupled in series by a plurality of fold lines, wherein each of said bottom panel, said front panel, said top panel, and said rear panel include opposing side edges, the blank further comprising opposing side flaps coupled by a plurality of fold lines to each of said opposing side edges of each of said bottom panel, said front panel, said top panel, and said rear panel, the blank also comprising a removable access panel having a front portion and a top portion, wherein said front and top portions are defined by a continuous line of weakness extending from said top panel panel along at least a portion of a first of said side edges into said front panel, the continuous line of weakness further extending at least along the fold line between said top panel and said front panel, and extending within said front panel at a distance spaced from at least one of said opposing side edges of said front panel to define a first front shoulder portion, the method comprising:
-
forming an open sided partially-formed box from said bottom panel, said front panel, said top panel, and said rear panel, said open sided partially-formed box comprising bottom, front, top, and rear walls; rotating said opposing side flaps of said front and rear panels about said fold lines toward interior of said open sided partially-formed box; rotating said opposing side flaps of said top and bottom panels about said fold lines toward interior of said open sided partially-formed box; coupling opposing side flaps of said front and rear panels to opposing side flaps of said top and bottom panels to form a first and second side wall; and removing said removable access panel such that a first access opening is created within said top wall and a second access opening is created within said front wall, and such that at least a portion of a top edge of said first front shoulder portion is a free edge that includes a portion extending from a corner defined between the front panel, the top panel, and at least one of the opposing side panels when the shipping container is formed, the portion extending from the corner and at least partially along a top edge of said front panel, wherein said first access opening comprises a substantial portion of said top panel, and said second access opening comprises a substantial portion of said front panel. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
Specification