Locking box
AssigneePratt Corrugated Holdings, Inc.
InventorsKendrick Michael Borst, Sr., Robert F. Humberstone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blank can include a first end panel; a first main panel joined to and extending from the first end panel; a second main panel connected to the first main panel; a second end panel joined to and extending from the second main panel; an inside end panel connected to the second main panel; and a locking tab extending from and separable from the first main panel, passable through a first opening defined between the second end panel and the inside end panel, and engageable with a locking opening separate from the first opening and defined in the blank.
Claims20
A blank comprising:
- a first end panel defining a first end and a second end distal from the first end;
- a first main panel defining a first end and a second end distal from the first end, the first end of the first main panel joined to and extending from the first end of the first end panel;
- a second main panel defining a first end and a second end distal from the first end, the second end of the second main panel connected to the second end of the first main panel;
- a second end panel defining a first end and a second end distal from the first end, the first end of the second end panel joined to and extending from the first end of the second main panel;
- an inside end panel defining a first end and a second end distal from the first end, the first end of the inside end panel connected to the second end of the second main panel;
- and
- a locking tab extending from and separable from the first main panel, passable through a first opening defined between the second end panel and the inside end panel, and engageable with a locking opening separate from the first opening and defined in the blank.
A locking device for a box, the locking device comprising:
- a first panel defining a locking tab, the locking tab separable from a remaining portion of the first panel and comprising a first tab subpanel, a second tab subpanel, and a third tab subpanel;
- the first tab subpanel extending from the first panel, the second tab subpanel extending from the first tab subpanel, and the third tab subpanel extending from the second tab subpanel, the third tab subpanel of the locking tab configured to bend with respect to the second tab subpanel of the locking tab toward the inside of the box;
- a second panel defining a locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and capture the third tab subpanel of the locking tab, the third tab subpanel of the locking tab configured to engage an edge of the locking opening when the second tab subpanel and the third tab subpanel are in facing arrangement and thereby configured to prevent movement of the locking tab with respect to the locking opening in an opening direction of the locking device;
- a third panel offset towards the outside of the box from at least a portion of the second panel, the third panel and the portion of the second panel receiving the locking tab therebetween;
- and
- a fourth panel offset towards the inside of the box from the portion of the second panel, each of the portion of the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel defining a front wall of the box, the front wall defining an opening between the third panel and the fourth panel, the opening sized to receive at least a portion of the locking tab therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.