Container Partitions

Abstract

Partitions for containers are provided which have one set of aligned flat, parallel members extending along a first direction, and a second set of transverse, flat, aligned parallel members extending along a second direction. The members of the first set are joined to the members of the second set so that they define a plurality of four sided cells in which articles are deposited. Each member or module has an intermediate body section and a plurality of upper extending members which are aligned with a plurality of lower depending members. Spaces or cut-outs are provided between upper and lower depending members so that each cell is formed by the four upper extending members and four aligned depending members with four cut-outs at the upper corners of the cell and four cut-outs at the lower corners of the cell. The aligned upper and lower depending members form an effective vertical contact area for the deposited article, and the intermediate body section provides an effective horizontal contact area for the deposited article in the cell. The cut-outs may have different forms, but a uniform module may be used for both sets of rows. The use of the partition members in containers results in a substantial saving of material as compared to prior unmodified partition members.

Description

This invention relates to partitions for containers, such as the common Kraft paper board type having opposite paper veneers and an intermediate paper core, or the solid fiber-board type. This invention particularly relates to partitions which effectively protect articles deposited in cells formed by partition members at a substantial saving in partition material.

The widespread use of paper board partitions for paper board containers, also known as cardboard or solid fiberboard, is of the familiar type wherein parallel flat board partitions intersect a set of transverse parallel partition members to form cells. These partition members are identical in construction and are, therefore, repeating units or modules. Each module has a plurality of slits along one edge so that a slit along a transverse module may be moved through a slit of a module disposed at right angles and thereby lead to the joined modules forming cells with their bottom and top edges in common planes. The unmodified side walls of the cells formed by such a plurality of joined modules effectively protects deposited articles in the cells.

It is one primary object of this invention to provide partition members or modules, such as the paper board type, which effectively protect the deposited articles in a manner equivalent to the prior art partitions, but which result in a substantial saving in partition materials.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of partitions for containers in which modules may be cut out or molded into substantially rigid plastic in generally known ways to obtain a protective partition while still realizing substantial savings of partition materials when the modules are assembled to form cells in a container.

Yet another important object of the invention is the provision of container partitions in which the dimensional requirements of partition materials have been reduced by providing alternating cut-outs in each partition module while retaining partition material sufficient to provide an effective, protective area for articles deposited in cells formed by the partitions.

Still another important object of the invention is the provision of partition modules which can be criss-crossed with other modules to form partition cells for a container, and in which the former requirement of continuous side walls has been eliminated while still retaining effective protection for articles placed in the cells.

Yet another important object of the invention is an improved hinge joint for joining rows of partition modules in one set to rows of partition modules in another set which is transverse to the first set.

The objects just recited are realized, together with still other objects which will occur to practitioners, by the following disclosure which includes drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container with portions of its wall removed to illustrate an embodiment of the improved partitions of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a selected cell of the partitions of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a layout blank showing how the partition embodiment of FIG. 1 is cut out from said blank;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of a pair of joined modules formed from the layout of FIG. 3, but on a slightly enlarged scale and with portions removed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective, on an enlarged scale, of a cell formed by portions of four criss-crossed modules;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a different embodiment for the partitions;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but of the different embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but of the different embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4,but of the different embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 5,but of the different embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of a partition module showing an improved hinge joint;

FIG. 12 is a perspective, on a reduced scale, of a pair of similar module portions with the hinge design of FIG. 11 in position for interlocking engagement; and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12, but on an enlarged scale, showing an interlocked engagement.

Use of the same numerals in the various views will indicate a reference to the same structures, elements and parts, as the case may be.

FIG. 1 is intended to illustrate a typical paper board container 15 with paper board partitions formed by a first set of aligned parallel rows 16 and 16a, and a second set of aligned parallel rows 18, 18a and 18b. One set of rows is disposed transverse to the other set. The criss-crossed rows of the two sets form a plurality of cells such as 20.

Each partition member is shown as being cut out from a layout 22 in FIG. 3. The partition modules of both sets may be nested relative to one another in the layout blank as shown. Each module has a plurality of upper extending members 24 and a plurality of aligned lower depending members 26. Spaces or cut-outs 28 are interposed between adjoining upper members and between adjoining lower members. The upper and lower members are joined to an intermediate body section 30 which extends between adjoining pairs of aligned members. Each body section is shown with a slit 32 which terminates about half way between the top and bottom edges of each body section. It is seen that each pair of aligned members, together with their intermediate body section, is symmetrical along a vertical axis. This symmetry extends generally to the spaced slits on each side of the aligned members.

A partition module of one set, such as 18, is positioned so that the slit 32 is at the bottom, and a partition module of the other set, such as 16, is arranged so the slit 32 is at the top. Two partition modules are joined by engaging a bottom slit to a top position slit, and fully seating said slits so the respective top and bottom edges of the body sections and aligned members are substantially coplaner.

A plurality of cells such as 20 are formed when a plurality of partition modules such as 16 of one set are criss-crossed with a plurality of partition modules such as 18 of another set. One of these cells is indicated in the views of FIGS. 2 and 5. A deposited article such as a glass jar is indicated in phantom at 31 in FIG. 2. The deposited article is effectively protected when deposited in the cell by the four sides thereof. In particular, each side presents an effective vertical protective area extending from the top edge of an upper member 24 to the bottom edge of depending member 26, or between the top and bottom dimensions of a cell. The effective horizontal protective area is formed by the portion of the body section 30 extending between the side to side dimension of the cell, or between an immediate pair of adjoining slits.

FIGS. 6-10 are similar to FIGS. 1-5 except that the top and bottom members 34, 36 have a three-sided polygon configuration, that is, a triangular configuration when considering the base of the triangle to be an imaginary demarcation between the upper and lower members and the intermediate body section 38. This is in distinction to the upper and lower members of FIGS. 1-5 which have a four-sided polygon configuration, when also considering the base line of the quadrangle to be an imaginary demarcation line between the aligned members and body section 30. The particular configuration of the upper and lower members of the spaces are not important so long as a space is provided, and so long as the particular configuration which is selected preferably permits a nesting relationship with the partition modules in the layout.

It is evident that the configuration of the cut-out between the upper and lower members will be the same as the configuration of such members except that the configuration will be inverted.

Such inversion will not lead to a different configuration for some shapes such as the quadrangle of FIGS. 1-5, but it will be different for others such as the inverted triangle of FIGS. 6-10.

The partition modules of one set are shown as 40 and 40a, and the modules of the other set are shown as 42, 42a and 42b. The slits such as 44 are formed between low points of the triangular members and extend about half way between the top and bottom edges of the body section 38.

The cell 46 formed by four sides of the partition modules has an effective, protective vertical area extending from the apex of the top triangular member to the zenith of the bottom member, or between the top and bottom cell dimensions. The horizontal protective area is formed between the side to side dimension of the body section 38. The upper corners of the cell and the four lower corners thereof have four cut-outs which are of a planer triangular configuration and which apices are disposed at an angle with joined slits. The corner cut-outs of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 have a vertical rectangular configuration and a horizontal triangular configuration which base meets the bottom of the rectangle.

FIGS. 11-13 show an improved joint design which may be present in place of a slit 32 or 44 in body sections of a partition module. The upper end of the slit has a tapered guideway 50 which communicates with a vertical slit 52. An angular slit 54 joins the vertical slit and a terminating cut-out portion 56 joins the angular slit. This cut-out portion is shown as having a triangular configuration which is similar to but having an inverted shape relative to a tab 58. Angular edge 58a of tab 58 helps to define angular slit 54 and horizontal edge 58b of the tab helps to define triangular cut-out 56. The improved slits are disposed the same way as slits 32 or 44 in the previous illustrated embodiments; that is, the slits will start from the bottom edge of partition modules in one set indicated at 60, and from the top edge of partition modules in another set indicated at 62.

The vertical slits 52 of a pair of partition modules are engaged and move together until angular edge 58a of an upper partition contacts the same angular edge of a lower partition module. One partition module is then turned 90.degree. relative to the other partition module so the two modules are in side to side contact, whereupon tab 58 of the upper module slides past and below tab 58 of the lower partition module. The two partition modules have their upper and lower edges substantially coplaner at such a time. One partition module is then turned 90.degree. relative to the other module to assume the normal relationship shown in FIG. 13. A tab of one module is locked in the triangular cut-out 56 of the other module, and points on the horizontal edges 58b of the two tabs are then in abutting relationship as shown in FIG. 13. The two partition modules are then locked against vertical or horizontal displacement. The tabs and cut-outs are coplaner with their respective body sections so that the joints have no projections in the formed dihedral which would interfere with the entry and withdrawal of articles in the cells formed by the partition modules.

Partition modules of this invention result in a significant and substantial saving of partition material because of the cut-out. It has been found in practice of the present invention that saving in the partition material can be about 30 percent or more as compared to prior art partitions having unmodified side walls to form the cells. In view of the large amount of partitions which are used in the container industry, this is a substantial saving. And such a saving is advantageously realized without substantially diminishing the protective character of the partition because the partition modules still present effective vertical and horizontal protective areas which permit the cell to protect the article deposited therein.

It will, of course, be realized that the particular dimensions of the partition modules in the cells formed thereby can be preselected for the particular articles which will be deposited in the cells. While the partition modules of the invention effectively protect frangible articles such as glass jars with an advantageous saving of material such partition modules may likewise be used to protect non-frangible articles such as cans from denting, scratching, label tearing or the like. The partition modules are preferably formed from solid fiberboard from roll stock, but other materials may be advantageously used, in particular, substantially rigid plastic which can be molded or cast.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A partition for containers, including

a plurality of like modules aligned in parallel fashion to form a first set,

a plurality of like modules aligned in parallel fashion to form a second set,

said first set being in perpendicular relationship to said second set to obtain a plurality of cells.

each of the modules in the set having an elongated flat body section, a plurality of upper members extending from said body section, a plurality of lower members depending from said body section, each upper member being aligned with a lower member, an upper cutout spacing each of the upper members, a lower cutout spacing each of the lower members, each upper cutout being aligned with a lower cutout,

each of the formed cells defined by four of the upper members, four body section portions, and four lower members,

the bottom of each cell having a cutout at each of the four corners, and

the top of each cell having a cutout at each of the four corners.

2. A partition as in claim 1 in which a portion of the body section between aligned upper and lower cutouts has a slot which communicates with one of the cutouts so that a slot in a module of one set may engage a slot in a module of the other set, said slots permitting respective top and bottom edges of the body sections and aligned upper and lower members to be substantially coplanar when the slots are fully seated.

3. A partition as in claim 1 in which

each module is formed of flat substantially rigid paper board.

4. A partition as in claim 1 in which

each module is formed of substantially rigid plastic.

5. A partition as in claim 1 in which

the effective horizontal protective area is symmetrical along a vertical axis passing through the body portion and the aligned upper and lower members.

6. A partition as in claim 1 in which the upper and lower members have quadranguler configurations and

the space between adjoining members has a quadranguler configuration.

7. A partition as in claim 1 in which the upper and lower members have triangular configurations, and

the space between adjoining members has an inverted triangular configuration.

8. A partition as in claim 1 in which

the vertical protective area of the module extends substantially from the bottom of an article deposited in a cell to substantially the top of said article, and

the horizontal effective protective area corresponds to the side to side dimension of the article deposited in the cell, but said combination of the effective protective areas being sufficient to provide ordinary protection to frangible articles deposited in the cells.

9. A partition assembly for use in a box comprising:

a plurality of first partitions extending in parallel, spaced-apart relationship,

a plurality of second partitions extending in parallel, spaced-apart relationship connected transversely in perpendicular relationship to said first partitions forming with said first partitions a plurality of cubical storage chambers,

each of said first and second partitions having vertically aligned spaced pairs of upwardly and downwardly extending legs, said pair of legs being uniformly spaced apart along the length of said partitions providing spaced apart pairs of upwardly and downwardly opening recesses, said recesses opening transversely to the longitudinal axis of said partition,

each of said first partitions having slots between said pairs of legs opening downwardly into its downwardly recesses, each of said slots receiving a portion of one of said second partitions,

each of said second partitions having upwardly opening slots between its pairs of legs opening into its upwardly opening recesses, each of said slots of said second partitions receiving a portion of one of said first partitions.

10. A partition assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said slots between said legs of said first and said second partitions are positioned substantially midway between each pair of adjacent legs on said partitions extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each of said partitions.