Reusable, two-piece storage container
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsGerald J. Niles, Davis W. Chamberlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of two sections. Each section is rectangular and is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented ar right angles to each other to form a U-shape. The storage container is formed by mating the two U-shaped sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U-shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U-shape to form edges of the storage container. The two sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges.
Claims38
A parallelepipedal storage container comprising substantially identical first and second sections, wherein each section is rectangular and has a weakened portion to enable the section to fold into a central base wall and two adjacent side walls which can be oriented at right angles to the base wall to form a U shape, wherein each side walls has an end adjacent the base wall and a free end opposite the end adjacent the base wall, and wherein the storage container is formed by folding the first section into a U shape, folding the second section into a U shape, turning the second section upside down and rotating the second section 90.degree. with respect to the first section, and mating the two sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U shape to form edges of the storage container;
- and means, formed integrally as one piece with the sections, for guiding and securing the two sections together along respective edges to form the container, wherein the guiding and securing means guides the first section with respect to the second section during assembly of the two sections and secures the two sections together and comprises a first edge guide extending along the part of the length of each side edge of each side wall adjacent the base wall at a substantially right angle with the side wall, wherein the first edge guide and the side wall define a groove, and wherein the grove of one side wall on one of the sections receives the respective part of the side edge adjacent the free end of the adjacent side wall on the other section when the sections are mated.
A parallelepipedal storage container comprising substantially identical first and second sections, wherein each section is rectangular and has a weakened portion to enable the section to fold into a central base wall and two side walls which can be oriented ar right angles to the base wall to form a U shape, wherein each side wall has a free end opposite the end adjacent the base wall, and wherein the storage container is formed by folding the first section into a U shape, folding the second section into a U shape, turning the second section upside down and rotating the second section 90.degree. with respect to the first section, and mating the two sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U shape to form edges of the storage container;
- means, formed integrally as one piece with the sections, for securing the two sections together along respective edges to form the container;
- and
- means for preventing a breakdown of the container when exposed to external forces and for creating a greater tendency for the container to implode than explode when subject to external forces.
A storage container comprising substantially identical first and second sections, wherein the first and second sections complementarily and matingly engage each other to form a completely closed container, and wherein each section has a weakened portion to enable the section to fold and further comprising means, formed integrally as one piece with the sections, for guiding and securing the two sections together along respective edges of the container walls to form the container, wherein the guiding and securing means comprises a first edge guide extending along the part of the length of each side edge of each side wall adjacent the base wall at a substantially right angle with the side wall, wherein the first edge guide and the side wall define a groove, and wherein the groove of one side wall on one of the sections receives the respective part of the side edge adjacent the free end of the adjacent side wall on the other section when the sections are mated.
A section for use in forming a parallelepipedal storage container comprising two substantially identical sections, wherein the section is rectangular and has a weakened portion to enable the section to fold into a central base wall and two adjacent side walls which can be oriented at right angles to the base wall to form a U shape, wherein each side wall has an end adjacent the base wall and a free end opposite the end adjacent the base wall, and wherein two sections can form the storage container by folding a first section into a U shape, folding a second section into a U shape, turning the second section upside down and rotating the second section 90.degree. with respect to the first section, and mating the two sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U shape to form edges of the storage container;
- and means, formed integrally as one piece with the section, for guiding and securing two sections together along respective edges to form the container, wherein the guiding and securing means comprises a first edge guide extending along a part of the length of each edge of each side wall adjacent the base wall at a substantially right angle with the side wall, wherein the first edge guide defines a groove, and wherein the groove of one side wall on one section receives the respective portion of the edge adjacent the free end of the adjacent side wall on another section when the sections are mated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.