Tie-lock shipper
AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorJeffrey Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blank for making a one-piece container. The blank includes a central first section, a pair of second sections connected to the first section along a respective first longitudinal score line, and a pair of third sections, each third section connected to a second section along a respective second longitudinal score line. The second sections define side walls and end walls of the container, and the third sections define bottom flaps of the container. The first section includes a pair of top lateral flaps located on either side of a longitudinal slit that divides the blank in half. A pair of top end flaps span across opposing longitudinal ends of the top lateral flaps. Each top end flap comprises a triangular section defining a bow-tie lock connecting two halves of the blank on either side of the longitudinal slit.
Claims17
A blank for making a one-piece container comprising:
- a central first section;
- a pair of second sections connected to the first section along a respective first longitudinal score line, the second sections defining side walls and end walls of the container;
- a pair of third sections, each third section connected to a second section along a respective second longitudinal score line, the third sections defining bottom flaps of the container;
- the first section including a pair of top lateral flaps located on either side of a longitudinal slit that divides the blank in half, and a pair of top end flaps spanning across opposing longitudinal ends of the top lateral flaps;
- and
- each top end flap comprises a triangular section defining a bow-tie lock connecting two halves of the blank on either side of the longitudinal slit.
A container including a pair of opposing side walls and a pair of opposing end walls, a top lateral flap hingedly connected to each side wall, a top end flap hingedly connected to each end wall, and bottom flaps hingedly connected to the side walls and the end walls, the container further comprising:
- each top end flap comprising two half sections separated by a flap slit;
- and
- each top end flap further comprising a bow-tie lock integrally formed as part of the two half sections of the top end flap, the bow-tie lock spanning the flap slit and connecting the two half sections.
A method of forming a container from a blank, the blank comprising a central first section;
- a pair of second sections connected to the first section along a respective first longitudinal score line, the second sections defining side walls and end walls of the container and comprising first and second end wall panels connected at lateral score lines to longitudinal ends of each of the side walls;
- a pair of third sections, each third section connected to a second section along a respective second longitudinal score line, the third sections defining bottom flaps of the container;
- the first section including a pair of top lateral flaps located on either side of a longitudinal slit that divides the blank in half, and a pair of top end flaps spanning across opposing longitudinal ends of the top lateral flaps;
- each top end flap including a triangular section defining a bow-tie lock connecting two halves of the blank on either side of the longitudinal slit, the method comprising:
- folding the blank in half at the longitudinal slit line to position a first half of the blank adjacent to a second half of the blank;
- and
- folding the first and second end wall panels about the lateral score lines to orient the end wall panels perpendicular to the side walls, wherein the end walls of the container are each defined by a pair of the end wall panels positioned in overlapping relationship adjacent to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.