Back to results
US 2008/0296177 A1Published application
Carrier and method
AssigneeE-Z Media, Inc.
InventorAngelo V. Cuomo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The carrier has a central vertical support panel structure, and a pair of foldable receptacles extending outwardly from opposite sides of the vertical support structure. The receptacles have automatically-opening bottom walls with symmetrical bottom panels which overlap to even-out the strength of the bottom walls and minimize areas of reduced strength. At least two opposed bottom panels are shaped to interlock with one another to hold the carrier open once it has been unfolded. Elongated, connected reinforcing flanges strengthen the carrier in the vertical direction. Double and triple-ply reinforcement panels are used to form a four or six-ply handle structure for improved strength.
Claims18
A carrier comprising
- a central support structure including two vertical support panels, each having a lower portion and an upper portion with a handle structure,
- a pair of foldable receptacles, each extending outwardly from said lower portion of one of said vertical support panels on opposite sides of said central support structure when said carrier is unfolded,
- each of said receptacles having four side-walls, with one of said side-walls of each being formed by said lower portion of one of said vertical support panels,
- said upper portions of said vertical support panels extending a substantial distance above said receptacles,
- a bottom wall structure for each of said receptacles, said bottom wall structure comprising a flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of each of said four side-walls and being secured thereto along fold line,
- one of said side-walls being parallel to but spaced from said central support structure,
- said flanges being interconnected with one another so as to fold flat inside of said four walls of said receptacle, and unfold automatically when said side-walls are spread apart to unfold said carrier,
- one of the first and second ones of said flanges extending from said one side-wall and the other extending from one of said vertical support panels,
- each of said first and second flanges having an outer edge and a recess,
- said first and second flanges being shaped to interlock with one another when said carrier is unfolded, and
- at least one reinforcing panel overlying and adhered to said upper portion of each of said vertical support panels.
8 more elements
A carrier comprising
- first and second vertical support panels, said support panels being secured to one another, each having an upper portion with an upper edge and a handle structure, and a lower portion positioned below said upper edge,
- first and second series of side-wall panels, each connected to one of said lower portions of said vertical support panels along fold lines,
- each of said series forming, in combination with the one of said vertical support panels to which it is connected, a side-wall structure for a receptacle,
- a bottom wall structure for each of said receptacles, said bottom wall structure comprising a plurality of flanges extending from the lower edges of said side-walls and said vertical support panels,
- said flanges being interconnected with the other of said flanges so that said bottom wall structure unfolds automatically when said carrier is unfolded,
- said flanges including, in each of said bottom wall structures, two flanges shaped and positioned to interlock with one another when said carrier is unfolded so as to hold said carrier unfolded,
- and a reinforcement panel structure comprising, for each of said vertical support panels, a number of reinforcement panels selected from the group consisting of one and two, each secured to one of said upper portions of one of said vertical support panels.
4 more elements
A blank for making a foldable carrier, said blank comprising a single sheet of material forming:
- a pair of vertical support panels each having elongated side edges aligned with one another, and an upper area and a lower are,
- a pair of side-wall structures each comprising a series of side-wall panels, each being secured to one another, each side-wall structure being secured to a side edge of said lower area of one of said vertical support panels,
- a bottom flange extending from the bottom edge of each of said side-wall panels and said vertical support structures, said bottom flanges being formed so as to enable them to be secured together in an automatically-opening, inwardly folding bottom structure for each of said sidewall structures,
- There being at least one panel secured to one edge of each of said vertical support panels is said upper area thereof, between the upper edges of said side wall panels for use as reinforcement panels for said vertical support panels,
- Automatic-opening bottom flaps extending from the bottom edges of said side wall panels and said vertical support panels and being connectable to one another to open automatically when the carrier is unfolded,
- said bottom flaps for each bottom structure being shaped so that opposed long flaps extend across the bottom in one half and substantially less than that in the other half to form two central edges to engage one another when the carrier is unfolded to hold the carrier in its unfolded state.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.