Collapsible case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10640254-B2
Application number	US-201516060557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A collapsible container (200) for a product (202) that may be elastically compressible. The collapsible container design may reduce or prevent damage or permanent deformation of the collapsible container during lacement of a load on the container. The collapsible container includes a plurality of collapsible panels (106A-D) that articulate in a specific manner during placement of a load, resulting in a controlled and temporary partial collapse of the container from an expanded position to a collapsed position. After removal of the load from the collapsible container, the elastically compressible product may decompress and force the collapsible container to expand from the collapsed position back to the expanded position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible container blank, comprising:
a plurality of top end panels;
a plurality of side panels;
a plurality of collapsible panels, wherein each collapsible panel is interposed between, and connected to, one of the top end panels and one of the side panels;
a plurality of top end panel folds, wherein each top end panel fold separates one of the top end panels from one of the collapsible panels;
a plurality of collapsible panel bottom folds, wherein each collapsible panel bottom fold separates one of the collapsible panels from one of the side panels;
a plurality of bottom end panels, wherein each side panel is connected to one of the bottom end panels and interposed between one of the collapsible panels and one of the bottom end panels;
a plurality of bottom end panel folds, wherein each bottom end panel fold separates one of the side panels from one of the bottom end panels;
a plurality of collapsible panel midline folds, wherein each collapsible panel midline fold bisects one of the collapsible panels;
a plurality of top end panel cutouts defined by a perimeter of the collapsible container blank, wherein each top end panel cutout separates one of the top end panels from an adjacent top end panel; and
a plurality of bottom end panel cutouts defined by the perimeter of the collapsible container blank, wherein each bottom end panel cutout separates one of the bottom end panels from an adjacent bottom end panel;
wherein a width of at least one of the collapsible panels is smaller than a width of a corresponding one of the top end panels to which the at least one of the collapsible panels is connected.

2. The collapsible container blank of claim 1 , wherein each top end panel cutout has a first width and a first height, and each bottom end panel cutout has a second width and a second height, wherein the first height is greater than the second height.

3. The collapsible container blank of claim 2 , wherein the first height is at least 1.1 times the second height and the first width is from 1.25 times to 3.0 times the second width.

4. The collapsible container blank of claim 1 wherein, after an assembly of the collapsible container blank into a container, the plurality of collapsible panels are configured to articulate upon placing a load on a top surface of the container from an expanded position to a collapsed position and to return to the expanded position when the load is removed from the top surface of the container.

5. The collapsible container blank of claim 1 , wherein each collapsible panel is configured to fold at one of the collapsible panel midline folds, to hinge at one of the top end panel folds, and to hinge at one of the collapsible panel bottom folds during the articulation from the expanded position to the collapsed position and from the collapsed position to the expanded position.

6. A folded and assembled collapsible container, comprising:
a plurality of top end panels that form a top of the assembled container;
a plurality of side panels that form a plurality of sides of the assembled container;
a plurality of collapsible panels, wherein each collapsible panel is interposed between, and connected to, one of the top end panels and one of the side panels;
a plurality of collapsible panel midline folds, wherein each collapsible panel midline fold bisects one of the collapsible panels into two equal parts;
a plurality of bottom end panels that form a bottom of the assembled container, wherein each side panel is connected to one of the bottom end panels and interposed between one of the collapsible panels and one of the bottom end panels;
a plurality of top end panel folds, wherein each top end panel fold separates one of the top end panels from one of the collapsible panels;
a plurality of collapsible panel bottom folds, wherein each collapsible panel bottom fold separates one of the collapsible panels from one of the side panels;
a plurality of bottom end panel folds, wherein each bottom end panel fold separates one of the side panels from one of the bottom end panels;
a plurality of top end panel cutouts, wherein each top end panel cutout separates one of the top end panels from an adjacent top end panel; and
a plurality of bottom end panel cutouts, wherein each bottom end panel cutout separates one of the bottom end panels from an adjacent bottom end panel;
wherein a width of at least one of the collapsible panels is smaller than a width of a corresponding one of the top end panels to which the at least one of the collapsible panels is connected.

7. The folded and assembled collapsible container of claim 6 , wherein:
the collapsible container comprises a first height in a fully expanded position; and
the collapsible container comprises a second height in a fully compressed position, wherein the second height is at least 0.9 times the first height.

8. The folded and assembled collapsible container of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of collapsible panels are configured to articulate upon placing a load on a top surface of the container from an expanded position to a collapsed position and to expand toward the expanded position when the load is removed from the top surface of the container.

9. The folded and assembled collapsible container of claim 8 , wherein each collapsible panel is configured to fold at one of the collapsible panel midlines, to hinge at one of the top end panel folds, and to hinge at one of the collapsible panel bottom folds during the articulation from the expanded position to the collapsed position and from the collapsed position to the expanded position.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Oostwouder Theodoor

Classifications

• B65D5/0005 Primary

  of variable capacity · CPC title

• B65D5/0218

  with end closures having an axially movable end wall; the end wall and body being interconnected by foldable panel-elements · CPC title

• B65D5/0227

  with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples · CPC title