Container content alignment apparatus and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11834236-B2
Application number	US-202217589362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2022
Priority date	Jan 31, 2022
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A container content apparatus comprises two inserts. Each insert comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and two side flaps. Each top portion comprises a die cut handle. The apparatus is adapted to be inserted into an inside of a container adjacent to interior walls of the container. An area defined by the inserts is adapted to receive a stack of media. When the inserts are removed via the handles, a gap or space exists between the outer edges of the stack and the interior walls of the container providing automatic alignment of the stack centered on the inside of the container and providing proper alignment to feed the stack directly from the container to an infeed of a printer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
two container inserts;
each container insert comprises:
a top portion;
a bottom portion; and
two side flaps;
wherein the two container inserts adapted to fit inside a container adjacent to an inside surface of the container defined by front, back, and side walls;
wherein an area between the two container inserts adapted to receive a stack of labels;
wherein when the two inserts are removed from the container a gap or space exists between outer edges of the stack of labels and the inside surface defined by the front, the back, and the side walls ensuring that the stack of labels is centered within the container for directly feeding the stack of labels to an infeed of a printer from the container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each top portion comprises a die cut handle adapted to lift the corresponding container insert out of the container when the container is loaded with the stack of labels.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each bottom portion comprises the two side flaps as appendages along sides of the corresponding bottom portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each side flap comprises a crease or a fold adapted to bend the corresponding side flap to fit against a corresponding side wall of the container while the corresponding bottom portion fits against the corresponding front wall or the corresponding back wall of container.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a height and a length of each top portion is substantially equal to a corresponding height and corresponding length of a container top portion for the container.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a height and a length of each bottom portion is substantially equal to a corresponding height and a corresponding length of the front wall of the container or the back wall of the container.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each side flap has one half the length of one of the side walls for the container.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a height of each side flap is substantially equal to a corresponding height of one of the side walls.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the two container inserts is equal to a corresponding thickness associated with a material used to manufacturer the container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , a thickness of the two container inserts is less than or greater than a corresponding thickness associated with a material used to manufacturer the container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two container inserts are manufactured of a same material that is used to manufacture the container or the two container inserts are manufactured of a first material that is different from a second material used to manufacture the container.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein inside surfaces of the container and the two container inserts comprise a moisture resistant coating.

13. A system, comprising:
a container;
an apparatus comprise two container inserts;
each container insert comprises:
a top portion comprising a die cut handle; and
a bottom portion comprising two side flaps;
wherein the two container inserts adapted to be inserted into the container and cover inside walls of the container by a thickness of a material used to manufacture the two container inserts;
wherein an area defined on an inside of two container inserts is adapted to receive a stack of labels;
wherein when the die cut handles are pulled up on and removed from the container, a gap of the thickness remains between outer edges of the stack of labels and the inside walls of the container ensuring the stack of labels is centered within the container and only contacts the container on a bottom of the container but does not contact or touch the container along the inside walls;
wherein inside surfaces of the two container inserts and the container comprise a moisture resistant coating.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the top portion of each container insert is separated by a fold or a crease from the corresponding bottom portion allowing the corresponding top portion to be folded over onto the stack when a container top is sealed shut.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the bottom portion of each container insert comprises two folds or creases, each fold or crease corresponding to one of the two side flaps permitting each side flap to be folded against a side wall of the container while the corresponding bottom portion remains against a front wall or a back wall of the container.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein a height of each of the bottom portions and each of the corresponding two side flaps is equal to a height of the container when the container is sealed shut for transport.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein a combined length of a pair of the two side flaps is equal to a length of a side wall of the container.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein a height of the container when the container is opened is equal to a combined height of a corresponding bottom portion and a corresponding top portion.

19. A method, comprising:
coating inside surfaces of two container inserts and a container with a moisture resistant coating;
aligning and inserting the two container inserts into the container to cover an inside surface area of the container along a front surface, rear surface, and side surface of the container;
loading a label stack of media into the container between and along an inside surface area defined by the two container inserts;
sealing the container shut and shipping the container to a business;
receiving the container at the business, opening the container along a top of the container, carrying the container via side handles die cut into the container, and aligning and placing the container on a floor or other flat and hard surface of the business to ensure the container is directly under and centered under an infeed for a printer;
removing the container inserts using insert handles die cut into each of the two container inserts leaving the label stack centered within the container with a gap between outer edges of the label stack of media and inside side walls of the container;
orienting any flaps associated with the side handles of the container away from the label stack of media and towards an outside of the container; and
feeding a top portion of the label stack of media into the infeed of the printer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising, starting or initiating the printer for customer printing or imagining of indicia on labels defined in the label stack of media by the printer.

Assignees

• Iconex Llc

Inventors

• Livingston Timothy Darren

Classifications

• B65D5/566 Primary

  Linings made of relatively rigid sheet material, e.g. carton (B65D5/0281 and B65D5/58 takes precedence; combined with a flexible lining B65D5/56, B65D5/60; for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3858; for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275) · CPC title

• B65D5/327

  at least two container body parts, each formed by folding a single blank to a permanently assembled tube · CPC title

• B65D5/4266

  Folding lines, score lines, crease lines · CPC title

• B65D5/4608 Primary

  Handgrip holes · CPC title

• B65D5/46128

  two opposite closure flaps being provided with handle elements which are in contact with each other · CPC title