Blank and methods of constructing a container from the blank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415895-B2
Application number	US-201514717541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A blank of foldable sheet material for forming a container is provided. The blank includes a top panel, a front tuck flap extending from a front edge of the top panel, and a top side panel extending from a side edge of the top panel. The blank also includes a bottom panel, a front panel extending from a front edge of the bottom panel, and a corner portion. The corner portion includes a minor diagonal panel extending and a major diagonal panel. The corner portion also includes a corner panel hingedly connected to the minor and major diagonal panels. The front panel is configured to engage the front tuck flap to at least partially define a first releasably secure closure of the container, and the top side panel includes a front edge configured to engage the minor diagonal panel to at least partially define a second releasably secure closure of the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blank of foldable sheet material for forming a container, said blank comprising:
a top portion comprising a top panel, a front tuck flap extending from a front edge of said top panel, and a first top side panel extending from a first side edge of said top panel; and
a bottom portion comprising a bottom panel, a first bottom side panel extending from a first side edge of said bottom panel, a front panel extending from a front edge of said bottom panel, and
a corner portion comprising:
a first minor diagonal panel extending from a front edge of said first bottom side panel;
a first major diagonal panel extending from a first side edge of said front panel, said first major diagonal panel having a length greater than a length of said first minor diagonal panel; and
a first corner panel hingedly connected to said first minor and major diagonal panels, wherein said front panel is configured to engage said front tuck flap to at least partially define a first releasably secure closure of the container in a closed position, and said first top side panel includes a front edge including a locking tab configured to engage said first minor diagonal panel to at least partially define a second releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

2. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein said front tuck flap further comprises an offset edge, at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, and said notch being configured to receive said offset edge when the container is formed to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

3. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first bottom side panel further comprises a slot-forming tab extending from said front edge of said first bottom side panel, wherein said slot-forming tab is configured to form a locking aperture defined between said first bottom side panel and said first minor diagonal panel when the container is formed, and said locking aperture is configured to receive said locking tab when the container is formed to at least partially define the second releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first bottom side panel and a side edge of said first major diagonal panel are configured to engage said front portion of said first top side panel in a friction fit when the container is formed to define a third releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

5. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein an exterior surface of said front tuck flap is configured to engage in a friction fit with an interior surface of said front panel when the container is formed to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

6. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking tab is configured to engage in a friction fit with an interior surface of said first minor diagonal panel when the container is formed to at least partially define the second releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

7. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein said front tuck flap has a substantially constant first depth, at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, wherein said notch has a second depth greater than or equal to the first depth, and said notch is configured to receive a portion of said front tuck flap when the container is formed to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

8. A blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, and said notch is configured to receive said front tuck panel when the container is formed to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

9. A container formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, said container comprising:
a top portion comprising a top panel hingedly connected to a front tuck flap along a front edge of said top panel and to a first top side panel along a first side edge of said top panel; and
a bottom portion comprising a bottom panel, a first bottom side panel hingedly connected to a first side edge of said bottom panel, a front panel hingedly connected to a front edge of said bottom panel, and
a corner portion comprising:
a first minor diagonal panel extending from a front edge of said first bottom side panel;
a first major diagonal panel extending from a first side edge of said front panel, said first major diagonal panel having a length greater than a length of said first minor diagonal panel; and
a first corner panel hingedly connected to said first minor and major diagonal panels, said first corner panel overlapping and substantially parallel to said bottom panel, wherein said front panel is engaged by said front tuck flap to at least partially define a first releasably secure closure of the container, and a front edge of said first top side panel includes a locking tab which is engaged by said first minor diagonal panel to at least partially define a second releasably secure closure of the container.

10. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein said front tuck flap further comprises an offset edge, at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, and said offset edge being received by said notch to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container.

11. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first bottom side panel and said first minor panel define a locking aperture therebetween, and said locking tab is received by said locking aperture to at least partially define the second releasably secure closure of the container.

12. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein said front portion of said first top side panel is received between said first bottom side panel and a side edge of said first major diagonal panel in a friction fit to define a third releasably secure closure of the container.

13. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein an exterior surface of said front tuck flap is engaged in a friction fit with an interior surface of said front panel to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container in the closed position.

14. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein said locking tab is engaged in a friction fit with an interior surface of said first minor diagonal panel to at least partially define the second releasably secure closure of the container.

15. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein said front tuck flap has a substantially constant first depth, at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, wherein said notch has a second depth greater than or equal to the first depth, and a portion of said front tuck flap is received by said notch to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container.

16. A container in accordance with claim 9 wherein at least one of said front panel and said first major diagonal panel further comprises a notch, and said front tuck panel is received by said notch to at least partially define the first releasably secure closure of the container.

17. A method of constructing a container from a blank of sheet material, the method comprising:
rotating a first corner panel of the bl

Assignees

• Westrock Shared Services Llc

Inventors

• James Jeffrey S
• Mack Jory B
• Tripp Timothy A

Classifications

• B65D85/36

  for bakery products, e.g. biscuits · CPC title

• B65D5/2057

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

• B65D5/2033 Primary

  polygonal having more than four sides, e.g. hexagonal, octogonal · CPC title

• B65D2585/366

  Pizza · CPC title

• B31B3/00

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic