US3438562A - Container - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1969 CONNOR ET AL 3,438,562

CONTAINER Filed Oct. 25, 1967 INVENTORS Mum 6. (av/me M146 J4. 001 6 BY an 4w l-T 14 2/64)" @420 5. 5mm- United States Patent 3,438,562 CONTAINER William G. Connor, Bellevue, Donald F. Wright, Seattle, and Douglas J. A. Dove, Edmonds, Wash., assignors to Inter Store Transfer Specialists Inc., Edmonds, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed Oct. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 677,929 Int. C]. 1365:! /56, 5/58, 25/14, 5/62, 5/36, 45/00 US. Cl. 229-14 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container has as main components a partially collapsible box and a collapsible liner that may be fitted into said box in both the collapsed and extended position. A telescopic lid closes the box in its extended and lined condition, as well as in its collapsed condition.

Background This invention particularly pertains to containers for repeated uses in the transport of goods in an extended or expanded condition and collapsible to a compact condition for return shipment or for storage. An important object has been the provision of a container which is constructed and modularly arranged to be readily assembled to a setup condition from a compacted storage condition; not requiring great skill; and without requiring tools or fastening devices. Still another object is to provide a collapsible-expandable carton or container adapted to conventional manufacturing techniques and which has enhanced the durability and strength. A further object has been to provide a reuseable container, the components of which, in a collapsed condition, occupy a minimum of space but which, upon erection, supplies an enclosure for a substantial amount of goods to be contained therein, which enclosure is strong, durable and may be easily sealed and made tamper-proof when the container is closed on the goods.

Drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container collapsed;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section of the collapsed container;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the container extended;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the erected and assembled container; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the container sealing means.

Description This container in the main comprises a box 10, a liner 30 and a lid 50.

Preferably these three components are formed of corrugated board, fabricated from paper stock. It will be obvious that the various elements of the container may be formed from numerous types of sheet or panel stock such, for example, as cardboard, plywood, hardboard and the like. The nature of the use to which such containers are put, the economics of the matter, and similar considerations will largely dictate the choice of the base material employed. The description of this invention as manufactured from corrugated board stock is purely exemplary.

Box includes bottom or panel 11, opposed sides or walls 12 and 13 and opposed ends or walls 14 and 15. The bottom 11, manufactured in a conventional manner, and walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 are integrated, by being joined above the corners of bottom 11 into a non-collapsible 3,438,562 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 box. Walls 12-14 rise a nominal height C above bottom 11. Preferably the ends 14 and 15 have flaps 16 which are folded around the box corners and stapled or glued in overlapping relation to adjacent portions of the sides 12 and 13, as shown in FIGURE 3. Hingedly joined by folds to side panels 12-13 and end panels 14 and 15 are, respectively, upright folding sides 17 and 18 and upright folding ends 19 and 20. Bottom 11 is shown in FIGURE 2 as comprising overlapped and secured together end and side flaps 21 and 22, respectively.

The end panels 19 and 20 may have hand holes 23 to facilitate carrying the container. The side panels 17 and 18 may have perforations 24 to receive a sealing strap or other securing band 25 as will be described below.

Liner is bottomless and topless and is collapsible and comprises side walls 31 and 32 and end walls 33 and 34. The end edges of the side walls 31, 32 are hingedly joined at 35 to the side edges of the end walls 33, 34, as shown in FIGURE 3. Normally walls 31-34 are manufactured from a single board by cutting and scoring to form hinged lines joining the walls in the manner described. End walls 33 and 34 are medially scored at 36 and pleated so that they may be infolded when the liner 30 is collapsed, as it may be seen in FIGURE 3. Near the upper edges of side walls 31 and 32 are openings 38 located to match or align with openings 24 to receive a strap or band 25. In the preferred embodiment described liner 30 is manufactured from corrugated board, although, as stated, a wide variety of panels or boards may be used. The joint between walls 32 and 33 are shown joined by tape 39 to form the hinge at that point.

The lid is desirably a panel 52 having depending marginal-flange ends 54 and sides 55 having a vertical height approximating the height of walls 1214. Lid 50 is strengthened and rigidified by infolded flaps 56 as may be seen in FIGURES 2 and 4. In locations matching holes 24 and 38, lid 50 likewise has holes 58 in the side flanges 55. In addition, lid panel 2 has holes 9 adjacent holes 58.

When the container is assembled so that the liner 30 is extended and placed within the upstanding folding side 17, 18, its sidewalls are closely juxtaposed to the inside of box 10. At such time the hinges 36 between the parts of end walls 33, 34 are flattened, these walls are interiorly juxtaposed to the upstanding folding ends 19, 20. In this way the box parts are held open to receive or discharge goods. The lid 50 is fitted thereover to close the box and at the same time enclose and contain the upper edges of folding ends and sides 1215, as may be seen in FIGURE 4. At such time a band 25 may be passed through aligned holes 58. 38 and 24 and adjacent hole 58, as shown in FIGURE 5. The ends of band 25 may be then secured by a tamper-proof clip 60 to effectively seal the lid to the box and the liner.

The container in collapsed and compacted condition, desirable when being moved empty or during storage, is shown in FIGURE 1. The liner 30 is collapsed by having its end walls infolded between side walls 31, 32 and is placed within the box 10. Then the folding ends 19, 20 and sides 17, 18 of the box are down folded and overlapped above the collapsed liner. Then the lid 50 is telescoped over the closed down box 10 and the several elements are in a condition to move as a compact unit.

It is desirable that modular relations as to size be observed. Let us assume the width of box 10 is module A and its length is module B. It is then desirable that the height C and length D of the liner be no greater and, preferably, slightly less than the horizontal dimensions of the space enclosed by box walls 1215. In this way liner 30 may easily be placed in its collapsed condition in box 10. At the same time, the upright dimensions E of walls 12-15, plus height F of folding sides and ends 17- 20 should be substantially the same as height module C of the liner. This insures that the upper edges of the liner and of sides and ends 1720 are coincident when erected. Thus, a lid 50 telescoped thereover is supported by all these juxtaposed elements. This arrangement insures that when box is collapsed, its folding sides and ends will fold down flat within the dimensions of bottom 11 as can be seen in FIGURE 1.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and alterations as to the choice of materials from which this container may be manufactured and as to the choice of modular dimensions that are to be employed will be desirable under varying circumstances of economy, usage and the like.

All such which fall within the spirit of this invention as defined in the subjoined claims, having due regard for a liberal application of the doctrine of equivalents, are intended to be covered by this patent. In the foregoing description a preferred embodiment has been described. It is intended that the invention not be limited specifically thereto as it should be very apparent that various substitutions of size, fastening means and materials may more suitably meet and solve a particular shipping problem.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for use in an expanded condition for the storage and transport of objects and adapted to be collapsed for intermediate periods of nonuse to a condition materially less bulky than when expanded, comprising:

panel means forming a non-collapsible box having a bottom and integral upright opposed sides and opposed ends rising thereabove a uniform height;

a right rectangular, topless and bottomless, collapsible liner member of a size to stand on said bottom in close juxtaposition within and rising above the space enclosed by said upright ends and sides of said box, said liner member being vformed of hingedly joined end and side panels;

the height of said liner member being no greater than the space between said opposed upright sides;

each of said ends and each of said sides having a wall panel hingedly joined thereto at its upper edge and extending upward therefrom a height substantially equal to the height of the collapsible liner;

a lid having depending marginal flanges and being of a size to closely telescope over the erect wall panels and the enclosed liner member to bear thereon and to close said container; and

said liner member including means adapting it to be collapsed to a size no greater than said bottom.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in which the lid and at least an opposed pair of upstanding walls have registering openings to receive container seal means.

3. The structure according to claim 1 in which the end panels of the collapsible liner have opposed infolding accordion-like ends.

4. The structure according to claim 3 in which those walls juxtaposed to the accordion-like ends have hand holes permitting the introduction of a persons fingers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,197 9/1900 Hills 22941 2,766,921 10/1956 Jones et al. 229-14 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 229-41, 45

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