Box with top handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565353-B2
Application number	US-202418899200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2024
Priority date	Sep 29, 2023
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A box includes a plurality of sidewall panels; a bottom panel arranged at a bottom end of the sidewall panels; and a top panel arranged at a top end of the sidewall panels; wherein each sidewall panel is hingedly coupled to an adjacent sidewall panel by a foldable gusset.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A box comprising:
a plurality of sidewall panels; a bottom panel arranged at a bottom end of the sidewall panels; a top panel arranged at a top end of the sidewall panels; and a handle cut formed in the top panel and defining a box handle, the box handle foldable relative to the top panel between a pre-erected configuration and an erected configuration; wherein:
the plurality of sidewall panels comprises a front panel, a rear panel opposite the front panel, a first side panel extending between the front and rear panels, and a second side panel opposite to the first side panel and extending between the front and rear panels;
the top panel comprises a locking tab hingedly coupled to a front edge of the top panel;
the front panel comprises a lock slot defined therein, the lock slot being configured to slidably receive the locking tab therein in a closed configuration; and
in the pre-erected configuration, the box handle is coplanar with the top panel, and, in the erected configuration, the box handle extends outwardly and away from the top panel.

2 . The box of claim 1 , wherein the box handle comprises a first handle end, a second handle end, and a center portion extending therebetween, wherein the first handle end is connected to the top panel at a first fold line, and wherein the second handle end is connected to the top panel at a second fold line.

3 . The box of claim 2 , wherein the first fold line and the second fold line are arranged along a lateral centerline of the top panel.

4 . The box of claim 1 , further comprising a finger cut formed in the top panel adjacent to the center portion of the top handle.

5 . The box of claim 4 , wherein removal of the finger cut defines a finger opening in the top panel adjacent to the center portion of the top handle.

6 . The box of claim 1 , wherein:
a first tab notch is defined between a first locking shoulder of the locking tab and the front edge of the top panel; and a second tab notch is defined between a second locking shoulder of the locking tab and the front edge of the top panel, wherein the first tab notch and the second tab notch are each configured to receive a portion of the front panel therein when the locking tab is in the closed configuration.

7 . The box of claim 6 , wherein the lock slot comprises a first slot end, a second slot end, and a center slot portion disposed therebetween, wherein the first slot portion and the second slot portion are angled with respect to the center slot portion.

8 . The box of claim 1 , wherein:
a first foldable front gusset is hingedly coupled between a first end of the front panel and a front end of the first side panel; a second foldable front gusset is hingedly coupled between a second end of the front panel and a front end of the second side panel; a first foldable rear gusset is hingedly coupled between a first end of the rear panel and a rear end of the first side panel; and a second foldable rear gusset is hingedly coupled between a second end of the rear panel and a rear end of the second side panel.

9 . A box assembly comprising:
a box blank comprising a plurality of sidewall panels, a top panel arranged at a top end of the sidewall panels, and a bottom panel arranged at a bottom end of the sidewall panels; and a support assembly comprising a top edge defining a center opening, the support assembly being configured to slidably receive the bottom panel of the box blank therein, wherein the box blank is foldable from a blank configuration to an assembled box configuration, the top edge of the support assembly is configured to support the plurality of sidewall panels of the box blank thereon so the bottom panel is disposed inwardly of the top edge, the top edge of the support assembly is configured to fold the plurality of sidewall panels inwardly so that the box blank is folded from the box blank configuration to the assembled box configuration when the box blank is slidably received within the support assembly, the plurality of sidewall panels comprises a front panel, a rear panel opposite the front panel, a first side panel extending between the front and rear panels, and a second side panel opposite to the first side panel and extending between the front and rear panels; the top panel comprises a locking tab hingedly coupled to a front edge of the top panel; and the front panel comprises a lock slot defined therein, the lock slot being configured to slidably receive the locking tab therein in a closed configuration.

10 . The box assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a handle cut formed in the top panel and defining a box handle, the box handle foldable relative to the top panel between a pre-erected configuration and an erected configuration, wherein, in the pre-erected configuration, the box handle is coplanar with the top panel, and, in the erected configuration, the box handle extends outwardly and away from the top panel.

11 . The box assembly of claim 10 , wherein the box handle comprises a first handle end, a second handle end, and a center portion extending therebetween, wherein the first handle end is connected to the top panel at a first fold line, and the second handle end is connected to the top panel at a second fold line.

12 . The box assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a finger cut formed in the top panel adjacent to the center portion of the top handle, wherein removal of the finger cut defines a finger opening in the top panel adjacent to the center portion of the top handle.

13 . The box assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
a first tab notch is defined between a first locking shoulder of the locking tab and the front edge of the top panel; and a second tab notch is defined between a second locking shoulder of the locking tab and the front edge of the top panel, wherein the first tab notch and the second tab notch are each configured to receive a portion of the front panel therein when the locking tab is in the closed configuration.

14 . The box assembly of claim 13 , wherein the lock slot comprises a first slot end, a second slot end, and a center slot portion disposed therebetween, wherein the first slot portion and the second slot portion are angled with respect to the center slot portion.

15 . The box assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
a first foldable front gusset is hingedly coupled between a first end of the front panel and a front end of the first side panel; a second foldable front gusset is hingedly coupled between a second end of the front panel and a front end of the second side panel; a first foldable rear gusset is hingedly coupled between a first end of the rear panel and a rear end of the first side panel; and a second foldable rear gusset is hingedly coupled between a second end of the rear panel and a rear end of the second side panel.

16 . The box assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support assembly further comprises an outer box comprising a plurality of sidewall panels, and a bottom panel arranged at a bottom end of the sidewall panels, wherein the top edge is defined by a top edge of each sidewall panel of the plurality of sidewall panels of the outer box.

Assignees

• Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Sollie Greg
• Ott Paul

Classifications

• B65D5/22

  held erect by extensions of one or more sides being doubled-over to enclose extensions of adjacent sides · CPC title

• B31B2110/35

  rectangular, e.g. square · CPC title

• B31B50/26 Primary

  Folding sheets, blanks or webs · CPC title

• B31B2100/0024

  having all side walls attached to the bottom · CPC title

• B65D5/2057

  Inter-engaging self-locking flaps (B65D5/4254 takes precedence) · CPC title