Folded corrugated container with reinforced quick-locking handles

• US 7,841,512 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: WES Pak, Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Frank G., Westerman, Frank E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins; Gary E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYRD, LATRICE CHENELL
• Application Number:
  US11/654,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.01, 229/125.28, 229/125.19, 229/186, 229/117.06, 229/145, 229/149, 229/117.16, 229/117.22, 229/117.13, 229/117.15, 229/117.19, 229/117.24, 229/117.25, 229/117.26
• US Class Current: 229/125.28
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3678 collapsed along median lines of two opposite sides and the central panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6697 Separate lids attached to the container body by a hinge element

Abstract

A container comprises a knockdown carton made from a flat blank of corrugated material, and a knockdown lid. The carton comprises a center panel, foldable end panels, foldable side panels, and foldable corner panels. A pair of diametrically opposed corner panels are folded inwardly into contact with opposed end panels. The end panels comprise rectangular cutout holes surrounding foldable flaps. The lid has a central panel that is divided from integral end panels and integral side panels. A lid side panel extending vertically downwardly is coupled to the carton. Lid end panels have elliptical orifices that register with carton cutout regions and adjoining slots that align with handle anchor orifices. An alternative lid has flaps comprising major and minor segments separated by a diagonal fold line. The minor segment has an apex that releasably biases the flap in engagement with the end panel, yieldably locking the lid.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a carton made from a blank comprising a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein at least a pair of diametrically opposed corner panels has cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves, the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are folded against the end panels when the carton is assembled;

a lid adapted to placed upon the carton, the lid comprising a central lid panel foldably divided from integral end panels and integral side panels, one of the side panels extending vertically downwardly and coupled to the carton, the lid end panels comprising actuating orifices that register, upon assembly, with the cutout regions and cutout holes; and

,

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the container.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein the carton and the lid may be collapsed.

3. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein the lid actuating orifices comprise a generally elliptical central hole and oppositely directed end slots, wherein the elliptical hole overlies the end panel foldable flaps, and the end slots overlie the end panel anchor holes.

4. The container as defined in claim 3 wherein the lid panels are foldable into a flat orientation.

5. A container comprising:

a carton made from a blank comprising a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein at least a pair of diametrically opposed corner panels has cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves, the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are folded against the end panels;

a lid adapted to placed upon the carton, the lid comprising a central lid panel foldably divided from integral end panels and integral side panels, one of the side panels extending vertically downwardly and coupled to the carton;

the lid end panels having rectangular regions defining generally rectangular lid flaps that are adapted to register with said cutout regions in the carton; and

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the container.

6. The container as defined in claim 5 wherein said lid flaps comprise a major segment and a minor segment separated by a diagonal score line, and wherein when the lid flap is pressed into the end panel cutout region when the lid is attached to the carton, the minor segment deflects toward and yieldably contacts an end panel within the carton to bias the lid flap inwardly.

7. The container as defined in claim 6 wherein the carton may be collapsed and the lid panels are foldable into a flat orientation.

8. The container as defined in claim 7 wherein the minor segment comprises an apex that engages the end panel.

9. A carton comprising:

a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced apart anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein at least a pair of diametrically opposed corner panels have cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves that are adapted to register when the halves are folded together, the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are foldably deployed against the end panels; and

,

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the carton.

10. A container for packaging, distributing, handling and storing sterile and non-sterile medical surgical supplies, said container comprising:

a carton folded from a blank comprising a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves that are adapted to be folded together, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein at least two diametrically opposed corner panels comprise cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves, the cutout holes and anchor holes defined in one half adapted to register with the cutout holes and anchor holes defined in the other half when the corner panel halves are folded together, and the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are folded against the end panels when the carton is assembled;

a lid adapted to placed upon the carton, the lid comprising a central lid panel foldably divided from integral end panels and integral side panels, one of the side panels extending vertically downwardly and coupled to the carton, the lid end panels comprising actuating orifices that register, upon assembly, with the cutout regions and cutout holes defined in the carton end panels and carton corner panels; and

,

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the container.

11. The container as defined in claim 10 wherein the carton and the lid may be collapsed, and wherein the lid panels are foldable into a flat orientation.

12. The container as defined in claim 10 wherein the lid actuating orifices comprise a generally elliptical central hole and oppositely directed end slots, wherein the elliptical hole overlies the end panel foldable flaps, and the end slots overlie the end panel anchor holes.

13. A container for packaging, distributing, handling and storing sterile and non-sterile medical surgical supplies, said container comprising:

a collapsible carton made from a blank comprising a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein a pair of diametrically opposed corner panels has cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves, the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are folded against the end panels;

a collapsible lid adapted to placed upon the carton, the lid comprising a central lid panel foldably divided from integral end panels and integral side panels;

the lid end panels having rectangular regions defining generally rectangular lid flaps that are adapted to register with said cutout regions in the end panels of said carton;

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the container;

said lid flaps comprising a pair of segments separated by a score line; and

,

wherein, when the lid flap is pressed into the end panel cutout region when the lid is attached to the carton, one of said segments deflects towards and yieldably contacts an end panel within the carton to bias the lid flap inwardly.

14. A carton for packaging, distributing, handling and storing sterile and non-sterile medical surgical supplies, said carton comprising:

a center panel, a pair of foldable end panels, a pair of foldable side panels, four foldable corner panels having a score line dividing them into halves, the end panels having cutout regions with foldable flaps within the cutout regions and spaced apart anchor holes defined adjacent the cutout regions;

wherein two diametrically opposed corner panels have cutout holes and anchor holes defined in each of their halves that are adapted to register when the halves are folded together, the corner panel cutout holes and anchor holes adapted to register with the end panel cutout regions and anchor holes when said diametrically opposed corner panels are foldably deployed against the end panels; and

,

a resilient handle comprising a body with a pair of anchor feet on opposite ends adapted to be pressed through the aligned anchor holes for attachment to the carton.