Stackable open-top container

Abstract

An open-top fold-and-glue container is provided a collapsed or knocked-down-flat configuration and can be erected into a nested stacking frusto-pyramidal configuration in which the container walls are inclined outwardly and an upper container is supported on self-erecting shoulders in a lower container in the stack. The container has a bottom integral with opposite end walls and side walls, the end and side walls each being formed of an inner panel folded downwardly against an outer panel. The shoulders are located in the inner panels of the end walls, and are self-erecting in the manner of an expanding parallelogram between upper and lower glue strips and a support strip projecting substantially vertically downwardly from the shoulder to the bottom. The attachment of the upper glue strip to the outer panel of the end wall forms a reinforcement at the rim. The ledge is disposed adjacent to and under this reinforcement, and a manual grip can be placed immediately under the ledge. The end and side walls are structurally attached to one another at each corner of the container, by means of a wing or a bellows fold that extends laterally from the outer panel of the end wall at each corner. The wing or bellows fold is captured between the inner and outer panels of the adjacent side wall. The container is particularly apt for carrying lightweight bulky but crushable items such as bakery rolls, loaves and similar products. Such products can be transported and handled in large stacks of nested containers, extending a substantial vertical distance and including many nested containers that contain product covered by the next higher container(s) and protected from vertical crushing forces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.