Foldable packaging case
OwnerKenneth R. VandeDrink, Edward J. Coleinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved foldable packaging cases are provided which are particularly suitable, when in their fully opened condition, for use in transporting a plurality of cartons containing fluid products, particularly liquid dairy products such as milk and flavored drinks. The improved cases include structural features that cooperate to provide a case that is readily folded into a compact unit that is especially suitable for opening up to its fully unfolded condition by automatic case opening means, and which when so opened is structured to provide a rigid enclosure that retains a substantially rectangular shape when in use by avoiding both unintentional inward collapsing and undesirable bowing out of the foldable walls.
Claims13
In a foldable packaging case having two foldable side wall members including first and second panels that fold inwardly generally onto each other, two end wall panel members between said foldable side wall members, panel hinge means between said first panel, said second panel and said two end wall panel members for enabling the first and second panels to fold inwardly, a fold-up floor member sized to fit between said two foldable side wall members and said two end wall panel members, means for hingedly mounting said floor member to one of said end wall panel members, the improvement comprising said panel hinge means being a snap-together, snap-apart hinge means molded of a synthetic resin with and onto said first panel, said second panel and said two end wall panel members, wherein a plurality of said snap-together, snap-apart hinge means are provided, including first snap-together, snap-apart hinge means pivotally interconnecting said first panel to a corner portion of one of said two end wall panel members, second-snap together, snap-apart hinge means pivotally interconnecting said second panel to a corner portion of another of said two end wall panel members, each said first panel and second panel corner portions having a generally L-shaped cross-section including a leg protruding generally transversely from one of said end wall panel members, third snap-together, snap-apart hinge means pivotally interconnecting said first panel to said second panel, each of said snap-together, snap-apart hinge means including a pivot pin and a narrow saddle structured for snapping, releasably mating, pivotable interengagement with said pivot pin, said snap-together, snap-apart hinge means further including rotation limiting means which includes a longitudinally extending stop surface on said saddle at its remote end, a longitudinally extending stop edge on each of said first and second panels, said first and second snap-together, snap-apart hinge means being at the remote end of each of said respective legs of the panel corner portions, said longitudinally extending stop surface on said respective saddles of the first and second hinge means being at the extreme remote end of each respective leg, said longitudinally extending stop edge on each of said first and second panels being a surface that is generally parallel to the longitudinal extent of each of said first and second panels, a flat on each of said first and second panels, each said flat being generally transverse to the longitudinal extent of said first and second panels and extending beyond the respective stop edges, and said respective pivot pins extend from said respective flats.
In a foldable packaging case having two foldable side wall members including first and second panels that fold inwardly generally onto each other, two end wall panel members between said foldable side wall members, panel hinge means between said first panel, said second panel and said two end wall panel members for enabling the first and second panels to fold inwardly, a fold-up floor member sized to fit between said two foldable side wall members and said two end wall panel members, means for hingedly mounting said floor member to one of said end wall panel members, the improvement comprising said panel hinge means being a plurality of first, second and third snap-together, snap-apart hinge means;
- each of said plurality of first snap-together, snap-apart hinge means including a first narrow saddle member integrally molded with one of said end wall panel members, said first saddle member having a C-shaped inner surface and two fingers projecting therefrom, each of said first snap-together, snap-apart means further including a transversely extending flat on said first panel and a first pivot pin transversely projecting from and integrally molded with said flat, said first pivot pin being in releasable, rotatable interengagement with said C-shaped inner surface of the first saddle member;
- each of said plurality of second snap-together, snap-apart hinge means including a second narrow saddle member integrally molded with another of said end wall panel members, said second saddle member having a C-shaped inner surface and two fingers projecting therefrom, each said second snap-together, snap-apart means further including a transversely extending end flat on said second panel and a second pivot pin transversely projecting from and integrally molded with said flat, said second pivot pin being in releasable, rotatable interengagement with said C-shaped inner surface of the second saddle member;
- each of said plurality of third snap-together, snap-apart hinge means including a third narrow saddle member integrally molded with said first panel, said third saddle member having a C-shaped inner surface and two fingers projecting therefrom, each said third snap-together means further including a transversely extending intermediate flat on said second panel and a third pivot pin transversely projecting from and integrally molded with said flat, said third pivot pin being in rotatable interengagement with said C-shaped inner surface of the third saddle member;
- each of said first, second and third snap-together, snap-apart hinge means includes rotation limiting means having a stop surface and a stop edge in general butting relationship when the packaging case is in its open condition, said butting relationships placing said foldable side wall members in secure straight-line, end-to-end relationship with each other and secure generally perpendicular relationship to said two end wall panel members, said secure straight-line, end-to-end relationship and said secure generally perpendicular relationship being secure with respect to prevention of outward movement of said foldable side wall members;
- and
- the other of said end wall panel members includes a rib member having an internal ledge that is a stop for said fold-up floor member when the packaging case is in its opened condition to prevent inward movement of said foldable side wall members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.