U.S. patent number 3,738,563 [Application Number 05/060,431] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-12 for container.
Invention is credited to Stephen L. Eifrid.
United States Patent |
3,738,563 |
Eifrid |
June 12, 1973 |
CONTAINER
Abstract
A container having a hollow tubular section of polygonol cross
section with two end closure members each having a flat center
section of the same shape and approximate size as the cross section
of the tube and a plurality of tabs projecting from the periphery
of the central section and interlocking with the end portions of
the tube. In a method of assembling the container, some of the
flaps of one end closure are inserted between portions of the
contents prior to enclosure of the contents by the tube.
Inventors: |
Eifrid; Stephen L. (La Grange,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
22029438 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/060,431 |
Filed: |
August 3, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/109;
229/125.22; 229/125.32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
5/12 (20130101); B65D 5/2033 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
5/02 (20060101); B65D 5/12 (20060101); B65D
5/20 (20060101); B65d 013/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/41C,23BT,23R
;206/59B,65R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moorhead; Davis T.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A container having, in combination, a hollow tube of polygonal
cross section with an even number of sides, top and bottom end
members each having a flat center portion of the same shape and
approximate size as said cross section of said tube and flaps
secured to and extending outwardly from the side edges of each of
said top and bottom members, alternate ones of said flaps of each
of said end members being folded laterally of said center section
and lying along the inner surfaces of corresponding sides of said
tube and the intervening flaps being folded laterally of the center
portion and lying along the outer surfaces of said tube sides when
the ends are assembled with said tube, at least two of said
intervening flaps on opposite sides of said top member being folded
reversely upon themselves prior to being placed against said tube
sides to provide handholds for said container, and means to secure
said intervening flaps against said outer surfaces of said tube
sides.
2. A container having, in combination, a hollow tube of polygonal
cross section with an even number of sides, said hollow tube being
made from a generally flat sheet having parallel top and bottom
straight edge surfaces, top and bottom end members each having a
flat center portion of the same shape and approximate size as said
cross section of said tube and having flaps secured to and
extending outwardly from the side surfaces of each of said top and
bottom members, alternate ones of said flaps of each of said end
members being folded laterally of said center portion and lying
along the inner surfaces of corresponding sides of said tube and
the intervening flaps being folded laterally of the center portion
and lying along and against the outer surfaces of said tube sides
when the ends are assembled with said tube, said alternate ones of
said flaps being longer than said intervening flaps to assist in
assembly of said container, and means releasably securing said
intervening flaps against said outer surfaces of said tube sides to
permit disassembly of said top and bottom end members and collapse
of said hollow tube and end members to flat conditions.
3. A container having, in combination, a hollow tube of polygonal
cross section with an even number of sides, said hollow tube being
made from a generally flat sheet having parallel top and bottom
straight edge surfaces, top and bottom end members each having a
flat center portion of the same shape and approximate size as said
cross section of said tube and having flaps secured to and
extending outwardly from the side surfaces of each of said top and
bottom members, alternate ones of said flaps of each of said end
members being folded laterally of said center portion and lying
along the inner surfaces of corresponding sides of said tube and
the intervening flaps being folded laterally of the center portion
and lying along and against the outer surfaces of said tube sides
when the ends are assembled with said tube, said alternate ones of
said flaps being pointed to facilitate assembly of said container,
and means releasably securing said intervening flaps against said
outer surfaces of said tube sides to permit disassembly of said top
and bottom end members and collapse of said hollow tube and end
members to flat conditions.
4. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said polygonol cross
section is octagonal.
5. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of said
alternate ones of said flaps on said bottom member are further
folded inwardly parallel to said flat center portion over a portion
of the contents of said container to facilitate the assembly of
said container.
6. A container as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least
one strap extending around said top and bottom members and along
two sides of said tube, said strap overlying at said intervening
flaps on each of said top and bottom members to cause said flaps to
lie along the outer surfaces of said tube sides.
Description
The present invention relates generally to containers and a method
of assembling the same and enclosing contents therein. More
particularly, the invention relates to containers having a main
body in the form of a hollow tube and end closure members having
flaps lying along the side walls of the tube when in the assembled
condition.
A general object of the invention is to construct the tube and end
members of a container of the above character in a novel manner to
achieve rigidity and durability for protection of the contents
while simplifying the assembly.
A further object is to form the tube and end closures of a novel
polygonol shape with the flaps alternating on the inside and
outside of the tube and interlocking therewith for rigidity and
strength.
These and other objects of the present invention will become
evident in connection with the following detailed description
together with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled container embodying
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a container ready for
assembly in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a plan view of an end closure member of the container of
the present invention prior to assembly.
Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the container 10 shown to
illustrate the present invention comprises a body member in the
form of a hollow tube 12 and two end closure members 14 and 16
formed of a flat sheet material such as corrugated paper board.
Each of the end closures has a flat center section 18 of the same
shape and approximate size as the cross section of the tube 12 and
a series of flaps which lie along the tube wall when the container
is assembled as shown in FIG. 1.
To achieve rigidity and strength for protection of the container
contents, the invention contemplates a polygonol shape for the tube
cross section and the center sections of the end closure members
with an even number of sides. Also, the flaps of the end closures
are generally coextensive circumferentially with the corresponding
sides of the tube 12 and are arranged so that alternating flaps of
each end closure lie along the inner surfaces of alternating sides
of the tube, while the intervening flaps lie along the outer
surfaces of the intervening sides of the tube. With this
arrangement, there is an interlock between the flaps and the tube
at both ends of the tube and at adjacent edges of each flap to
assist in maintaining the desired rigidity and strength of the
container.
By way of example, the container 10 is illustrated as having eight
sides of equal lateral dimension. It should be understood, however,
that any even number of sides may be employed and that the various
sides need not be of equal lateral dimension. As, illustrated the
tube includes four sides designated herein as alternate sides 15
and four intervening sides 17. The tube may be of any desired
height depending on its intended use and may be made of corrugated
cardboard, plastic or other relatively stiff material.
The blanks for the end closures 14 and 16 are of the same size and
shape and, as can best be seen in FIG. 3, the top end closure
member 14 comprises an octagonal center section 18 of relatively
stiff material having eight flaps extending from the respective
side edges thereof. Four of the flaps are the alternate flaps 20
mentioned above and these extend from four alternate sides of the
center section 18 corresponding to the alternate sides 15 of the
tube. Each alternate flap 20 is connected to the center section
along a fold line 21 and terminates in a point 22 for reasons which
will become evident in connection with the assembly of the
container. Four intervening flaps 24, rectangular in profile and
shorter than the alternate flaps 20, extend from the four
intervening edges of the center section 18 at an angle of
45.degree. to the alternate flaps 20. Each of the flaps 20 and 24
is adapted to be folded at its junction with the edge of the flat
central section 18 along a fold line 25 perpendicular to the side
edges of the flap.
It is noted that the lengths of the flaps 20 and 24 along their
lines of juncture with the center section 18 are slightly less than
the lengths of the edges of the center section. As a result, the
adjacent edges of adjacent alternate and intervening flaps at their
lines of juncture with the center section are spaced apart a short
distance as indicated at 26 to provide clearance to receive the
adjacent edge of the tube 12 when the alternate flaps 20 are
inserted inside the tube with the intervening flaps outside, the
edges of the tube being received with a snug fit within the
clearance spaces 26 while avoiding tearing of the flaps.
The blank of each end closure member as shown in FIG. 3 is formed
from a square piece of material with the portions between the
respective adjacent flaps 20 and 24 cut out. Thus, the
construction, especially for an equilateral eight sided container,
results in relatively little waste material providing an economy
factor in addition to the strength of the container. While the
points 22 on the alternate flaps 20 may be omitted, they are
preferred to facilitate insertion of these flaps within the tube 12
during assembly of the container.
In assembling the container of the present invention, the center
section of the bottom closure member 16 is first placed on a
horizontal supporting surface and typical articles to be packaged,
for example, a stack of tape reels 27 shown in phantom in FIG. 2
are placed on top of the flat central portion 18. In the preferred
mode of assembly, this stack of contents only partially fills the
container and is not as high as the total length of the alternate
flaps 20 or the walls 15 and 17 of the polygonol tube 12. The
alternate flaps 20 preferably are prebent upwardly from the flat
central portion 18 before any contents are placed on the central
portion. After some of the articles 27 are in place, the alternate
flaps 20 are bent a second time along lines 29 and inwardly over
the stack of articles so that their outer end portions including
the points 22 lie horizontally on the top of the stack. Then, the
remainder of the articles are placed on the folded over flap end
portions and are aligned vertically with the articles on the
closure member. To facilitate folding of the upper end portions
inwardly along the lines 29, the flaps preferably are scored along
such lines.
With all of the articles supported on the bottom closure member 16,
the tube 12 is telescoped downwardly over the stack and the
upwardly extending alternate flaps 20 so that the outer sides of
the vertical portions of the alternate flaps lie against the inner
sides of the alternate walls 15 of the tube. The tube is lowered
until the lower edges of its intervening sides 17 engage the upper
sides of the intervening flaps 24 adjacent their junction with the
center section 18. Next, the top closure member 14 is assembled by
inserting its downwardly bent alternate flaps 20 along the inner
sides of the alternate walls 15 of the tube toward the alternate
flaps 20 of the bottom member 16. Insertion of the alternate flaps
20 of the top member is facilitated by the pointed shape of the end
portions of these flaps.
The remaining step in the assembly of the container involves
securing of the intervening flaps 24 of both end closures 14 and 16
against the outer sides of the intervening tube walls 17. This is
accomplished in the present instance by means of a pair of straps
32 extending around the container longitudinally in planes
perpendicular to each other. Since the top member 14 and the bottom
member 16 are oriented so that the alternate flaps 20 of each
member engage the inner sides of the same alternate walls 15, each
strap 32 engages the intervening flaps 24 on opposite sides of the
closure members 14 and 16 to secure all of these flaps against the
outer sides of the tube.
An optional feature of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1
contemplates bending two of the intervening flaps 24 on opposite
sides of the top closure reversely as illustrated at 34 prior to
securing them against the outer side of the container. The folding
of these flaps in this manner provides convenient handles for
carrying the container in an upright position without danger of
tearing of the top closure member. For maximum toughness it is
preferable that the fold 34 be made on flaps perpendicular to the
corrugations of the cardboard if that material is employed.
It can be seen from FIG. 2 that, if the length of the tube 12 is
less than twice the length of the alternate flaps 20 to their tips
22 and if the container is assembled without folding down the flaps
20 on the bottom member 16, it is possible that the flaps would
interfere with each other in assembling the container. For this
reason, the length of the flaps 20 preferably is restricted to no
more than half of the height of the entire container, or,
alternatively, the flaps 20 in the bottom closure member should be
bent over the top of a portion of the contents as in FIG. 2 so that
there is no interference of the points 22 of the flaps of the top
and bottom members.
It will be apparent that, in the finished container with
alternating flaps 20 on the end closures on the inner sides of the
tube walls 15 and the intervening flaps 24 on the outer sides of
the walls, there is an interlocking action of the flaps with the
walls resulting in an extremely rigid and strong container which is
capable of withstanding weight when turned on its side as well as
when it is in the vertical position shown in FIG. 1. Thus, there is
provided a durable, easily assembled container which can be made
reuseable and which protects its contents from breakage under the
rough handling.
While the foregoing description of the present invention has been
made in conjunction with a specific embodiment, the invention is
not intended to be so limited, but rather is only limited to the
scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *