Leakage-resistant packaging

• US 9,457,929 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc.
• Inventors: Jenkins, Kenneth T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew, Fenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANDRA, CHETAN GATTU
• Application Number:
  US13/556,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20130026059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 296/186, 229/186, 229/187
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/004 in blanks, e.g. sheets precut and creased for folding
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/02 Wrapping articles or quantities of material, without changing their position during the wrapping operation, e.g. in moulds with hinged folders by doubling a wrapper and securing its opposed free margins to enclose contents B65B11/48; by disposing contents between two sheets and securing their opposed free margins B65B11/50
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/242 the gussets folds comprising more than two gusset panels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/563 Laminated linings; Coatings

Abstract

Leak-resistant packaging includes at least one bottom panel; at least one side panel, each side panel in leak-resistant arrangement with the bottom panel; and at least one support in leak-resistant arrangement with the bottom panel and the at least one side panel.

Claims

1. A blank formable into leak-resistant packaging, the blank comprising:

a bottom panel;

at least two side panels, including a first side panel adjacent to a second side panel, each side panel in leak-resistant arrangement with the bottom panel; and

at least one support in leak-resistant arrangement with bottom panel and with the first side panel and the second side panel, each support including a first bending panel, a second bending panel, and a triangular panel, each bending panel including a first outer end and a second outer end, the first outer end of each bending panel angled at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees relative to the second outer end, each first outer end and second outer end of the bending panels being outer edges of the blank, the first bending panel connected to the first side panel by a first bend line comprising a first crease, the second bending panel connected to the second side panel by a second bend line comprising a second crease, the triangular panel between the first bending panel and the second bending panel, the triangular panel connected to the first bending panel by a third bend line comprising a third crease and the triangular panel connected to the second bending panel by a fourth bend line comprising a fourth crease, the triangular panel including an outer end extending between the second outer end of the first bending panel and the second outer end of the second bending panel, the outer end of the triangular panel angled at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees relative to the first outer end of the first bending panel and relative to the first outer end of the second bending panel, the outer end of the triangular panel being an outer edge of the blank, each support bendable between the first side panel and the second side panel to bring an inner surface of the first bending panel into facing contact with and fixably attachable to an inner surface of the first side panel by bending the first bending panel towards the first side panel along the first bend line, thereby angling the second bending panel apart from the second side panel-by bending the second bending panel away from the second side panel along the second bend line.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the bottom panel is connected to each side panel and wherein each side panel is connected to at least one support.

3. The blank of claim 1, further comprising at least one top panel, each top panel arranged to be supported by the at least one support.

4. The blank of claim 1, wherein the at least one support includes four supports.

5. The blank of claim 4, wherein the supports are arranged to support to at least one additional packaging in stacked arrangement on top of the packaging.

6. The blank of claim 5, wherein an inner surface of each panel includes a leak-resistant coating.

7. The blank of claim 6, wherein the leak-resistant coating is a Michelman coating.

8. The blank of claim 1, wherein:

each bending panel and each of the at least two side panels have an inner surface; and

the one of the first bending panel and the second bending panel includes an adhesive material.

9. A blank formable into packaging, the blank comprising:

at least one bottom panel;

a first side panel connected to a one of the at least one bottom panel;

a second side panel connected to a one of the at least one bottom panel; and

at least one support connected to the first side panel and the second side panel, each support including

a first bending panel having a first outer end and a second outer end, the first outer end of the first bending panel angled relative to the second outer end of the first bending panel at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees, the first outer end and the second outer end of the first bending panel being outer edges of the blank,

a second bending panel having a first outer end and a second outer end, the first outer end of the second bending panel angled relative to the second outer end of the second bending panel at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees, the first outer end and the second outer end of the second bending panel being outer edges of the blank, and

a triangular panel, the first bending panel connected to the first side panel by a first bend line, the second bending panel connected to the second side panel by a second bend line, the triangular panel connected to the first bending panel by a third bend line and to the second bending panel by a fourth bend line, the third bend line and the fourth bend line being the only bend lines between the first bend line and the second bend line, the first bending panel intersecting the triangular panel, the first outer end and the second outer end of the first bending panel together extending from the first side panel to the triangular panel, the first outer end and the second outer end of the second bending panel together extending from the second side panel to the triangular panel, each triangular panel between the first bending panel and the second bending panel and including an outer end extending from the second outer end of the first bending panel to the second outer end of the second bending panel, the outer end of the triangular panel angled at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees relative to the first outer end of the first bending panel and relative to the first outer end of the second bending panel, the outer end of the triangular panel being an outer edge of the blank, the length of the outer end of the triangular panel shorter than each of the outer ends of the first bending panel and shorter than each of the outer ends of the second bending panel,

wherein a surface of the blank is coated with a leak-resistant coating.

10. The blank of claim 9, wherein each connection between panels includes a bend line.

11. The blank of claim 9, wherein the blank is sized to enclose and package an intended article of manufacture.

12. The blank of claim 9, wherein the blank includes at least one top panel.

13. The blank of claim 12, wherein each top panel is connected to a side panel.

14. The blank of claim 9, wherein a length of the outer end of the triangular panel less than a length defined by the first outer end and second outer end of the first bending panel and less than a length defined by the first outer end and second outer end of the second bending panel.

15. A method of packaging, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank formable into packaging, the blank including;

a bottom panel;

at least two side panels connected to the bottom panel, including a first side panel and a second side panel, each at least two side panels including an inner surface and the first side panel being adjacent to the second side panel;

at least two bending panels, a first bending panel connected to the first side panel at a first bend line and a second bending panel connected to the second side panel at a second bend line, each bending panel including a first outer end and a second outer end, each first outer end angled relative to each second outer end at a non-zero angle; and

a triangular panel, the triangular panel between the first bending panel and the second bending panel and including an outer end extending from the second outer end of the first bending panel to the second outer end of the second bending panel, the triangular panel connected to the first bending panel by a third bend line and the triangular panel connected to the second bending panel by a fourth bend line,

wherein a surface of the blank is coated with a leak-resistant coating;

placing an article of manufacture on the blank; and

forming the blank into packaging around the article of manufacture by;

initially bending the two bending panels and the triangular panel to protrude into an interior of the packaging; and

subsequently bending the first bending panel at the first bend line so that the first bending panel is angularly offset from the first side panel, so that an inner surface of the second bending panel is in facing contact with an inner surface of the second side panel, and so that an outer surface of the first bending panel faces an outer surface of the second bending panel;

a portion of the outer surface of the first bending panel proximate to the first bend line offset from a portion of the outer surface of the second bending panel proximate to the second bend line by the triangular panel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each blank includes at least one support.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each blank includes at least one top panel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of arranging at least one support to support at least one top panel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each the article of manufacture requires leak-resistant packaging.

20. A method of packaging, the method comprising:

placing a product on a blank, the blank comprising;

a bottom panel;

a first side panel connected to the bottom panel;

a second side panel connected to the bottom panel, the second side panel being adjacent to the first side panel;

a first bending panel connected to the first side panel at a first bend line;

a second bending panel connected to the second side panel at a second bend line; and

a triangular panel, the triangular panel between the first bending panel and the second bending panel, the triangular panel connected to the first bending panel by a third bend line and the triangular panel connected to the second bending panel by a fourth bend line; and

forming the blank into packaging around the product by;

initially bending the first bending panel at the first bend line and the second bending panel at the second bend line to position the first bending panel, the second bending panel, and the triangular panel into an interior of the packaging; and

subsequently bending the first bending panel and the second bending panel so that an inner surface of the second bending panel is in facing contact with the inner surface of the second side panel and so that an outer surface of the first bending panel faces an outer surface of the second bending panel;

a portion of the outer surface of the first bending panel proximate to the first bend line offset from a portion of the outer surface of the second bending panel proximate to the second bend line by the triangular panel.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein

the first bending panel comprises a first outer end and a second outer end, the first outer end angled relative to the second outer end at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees;

the second bending panel comprises a first outer end and a second outer end, the first outer end angled relative to the second outer end at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees; and

the triangular panel comprises an outer end extending from the second outer end of the first bending panel to the second outer end of the second bending panel;

wherein forming the blank into packaging around the product comprises the second outer end of the first bending panel, the second outer end of the second bending panel, and the outer end of the triangular panel defining a U-shaped gap, the U-shaped gap comprising each of the second outer end of the first bending panel and the second outer end of the second bending panel oriented in a vertical orientation and the outer end of the triangular panel oriented in a horizontal orientation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein

the first outer end of the first bending panel is parallel with a top end of the first side panel before forming the blank into packaging around the product and extends from the first bend line, the second outer end of the first bending panel extending from the first outer end of the first bending panel;

and

the first outer end of the second bending panel is parallel with a top end of the second side panel before forming the blank into packaging around the product and extends from the second bend line, the second outer end of the second bending panel extending from the first outer end of the second bending panel.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the outer end of the triangular panel is angled at an angle of between 0 and 180 degrees relative to the first outer end of the first bending panel and relative to the first outer end of the second bending panel before forming the blank into packaging around the product.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the first bend line, the second bend line, the third bend line, and the fourth bend line comprises a crease.