Collapsible shipping container

Abstract

A corrugated shipping container is provided, having a six-sided, collapsible inner liner portion integral with a six-sided, collapsible outer portion. Spacing means integral with the liner support it inwardly of the outer walls to establish an impact absorbing zone between the outer and inner walls.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to heavy duty containers useful for providing enhanced protection against impact involved in rough handling, etc., for packaged articles during shipment. More particularly, this invention relates to such a shipping container which is dual-walled having an inner liner for holding the actual article being shipped, which liner is integral with the shipping carton as a whole, and which liner is appropriately spaced from the outer walls of the container to provide an impact cushioning zone. Moreover, the new dual-walled container is totally collapsible so that a large quantity of such containers may be shipped and/or stored in a relatively small space. Subsequently, they may be rapidly erected into an integral dual-walled structure without the bother and labor heretofore involved in erecting two different sections of a dual-walled container (e.g. an inner box and an outer box) and then assembling them.

As is well known, many developments have taken place in recent years to provide heavy duty, reusable shipping containers which may be easily erected and to provide adequate protection for articles being shipped in those containers. Moreover, with the advent of vastly increased shipments by air, the containers being developed must necessarily be of materials which are relatively light, but which still provide adequate protection for the articles being shipped during any handling operations where the containers may be accidentally dropped or receive blows in some manner.

With the use of lighter packaging materials, it became apparent that the materials would not always satisfactorily protect the articles being shipped, particularly if those articles are especially fragile such as sensitive electronic instruments. When comparatively heavy materials such as metal or wood are utilized for shipping containers, the container constructions are usually rugged enough to withstand impacts and to protect the articles. As stated above, however, with the lighter materials this protection is not always afforded and, therefore, there has been considerable resort to special containers having separate liners, in effect, dual-walled containers having internal liner walls spaced from the outer container walls. The spaced arrangement of the dual-walls of the structure provides impact cushioning for absorbing impacts during the handling of the container in the course of a shipment as well as thermal insulation (or space for refrigeration means, such as dry ice).

With the development of these dual-walled containers, it became necessary to provide spacing means between the two walls of the container, so that an impact or cushioning zone surrounds the article-containing inner liner and prevents movement of the liner itself within the outer walls of the container. An obvious and simple solution to this problem is the filling of the zone with cushioning material such as foam chips, shredded paper, etc. However, with the increased costs in labor/materials, the time involved in this kind of packing operation makes the utilization of this filling procedure an expensive operation.

Dual-walled shipping containers are known in which blanks for separate liners of such containers are configured to provide abutments on the liners, which space the liners from the outer walls of the container to establish an impact zone between the liner and the outer container walls. It is also known to employ a collapsible liner and a collapsible outer-walled container so that a large quantity of each may be shipped and/or stored in relatively small spaces.

Whereas, the known arrangements provide for relatively efficient use of lightweight materials in containers and adequate protection for packaged articles, they possess certain short-comings. For example, during erection of the containers and insertion of liners therein, a substantial amount of time is necessary for the packer to erect both the liner and the separate, outer-walled container itself and to insert one into the other.

The present invention provides a dual-walled collapsible shipping container, which has an outer container and, integral therewith, a collapsible liner. The liner is affixed to the outer-walled portion of the container and includes means for providing appropriate spacing of all six inner and outer walls. The entire structure is collapsible as a unit for storage and/or shipment. With such an arrangement, the shipper may erect the entire structure in a very rapid manner and upon erection have the entire dual-walled structure before him for placing an article for shipment. Moreover, the article will be completely protected upon insertion into the liner by a completely surrounding impact and insulation zone.

The new construction includes a generally conventional six-sided outer container. Integral with this outer container is an inner liner having four side walls. Special end constructions and connecting arrangements provide simultaneously for interconnecting the four liner side walls, and for fastening the liner to the outer side walls. More specifically, each liner side wall has an L-shaped appendage at one end thereof. The inner leg of said L-shaped flap is connected to a parallel extension on an adjacent side wall of the liner to form a two-ply spacer, while the outer leg of the appendage is permanently connected to an outer wall of the shipping container.

The two opposing upper and lower end walls of the liner have specially configured upper and lower flaps with an arrangement of articulated panels at each end of the flaps. The panels are foldable into hollow beams to provide appropriate spacing of the upper and lower ends of the liner from the upper and lower walls of the container and to provide reinforcement.

It should be noted that the container of this invention may be manufactured from a wide variety of materials. For example, it has been found advantageous to use in accordance herewith, conventional, single faced or double faced, and corrugated "paperboard" or synthetic corrugated board made from resin materials including, for example, polypropylene and polyethylene. These synthetic corrugated boards may be either single faced or double faced and may be comprised of a variety of different flute sizes, as is the case with conventional corrugated paperboard. One particularly suitable material for practicing the invention is a "double faced corrugated" high density polyethylene board readily commercially available.

With the foregoing and additional objects in view, this invention is described hereinafter in more detail. Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a collapsible dual-walled container embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational perspective view of the dual-walled container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 2 taken along lines 3--3, thereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 2 taken along lines 4--4, thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, a rectangular parallelopiped container. Reference numeral 10 generally designates the outer-walled structure of the dual-walled container, which may be formed from two blanks, with one blank having a longer side wall 14 connected to a shorter end wall 16 along a score or fold line 18. Opposite this structure is a mirror image second half of the outer container having a long side wall 24 and a shorter end wall 22 articulated along fold line 26. It should be understood that although this embodiment shows the outer wall structure as being formed from two blanks, it is within the purview of this invention that the outer wall structure could be formed from a single-piece blank.

Articulated to the top of the four side wall panels are conventional top flaps 34 along score lines 36, and conventional bottom flaps 38 articulated along score lines 40. Articulated along score line 29 at one end of end wall 16 is a connecting flap 20 and articulated to one end of end wall 22 at 30 is another connecting flap 28. These connecting flaps serve to join the two parts of the outer container 10 by staples 32 as shown. All joints and connections hereinafter shown and described may be made by a number of means including the application of sonic welding energy, heat sealing energy (when thermoplastics are employed) or adhesives, sealing tape and so forth. By way of example, in the embodiment shown, mechanical fasteners in the form of staples are utilized for establishing all joints although any fastening techniques may be employed if desired.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exploded view of the liner portion 42 of the container is shown. The liner 42 contains longer side panels 44 and 48 and shorter end panels 46 and 50. Since the opposed side panels 44 and 48 and the opposed end panels 46 and 50 are mirror images of one another, only one of these panels need be described. An end connecting flap 52 is articulated to one end of panel 44 along score line 54. An angle-shaped connecting flap 56, having a portion 58 disposed in a plane perpendicular to panel 44, is articulated along score line 60 to the other end of panel 44. Articulated along score line 64 is a second portion 62 of connecting flap 56, which is in a plane parallel with that of panel 44.

It should be noted that both of these end flaps at each end of panel 44 extend above and below the uppermost and lowermost extent of panel 44 (score lines 80 and 92, respectively). The functions of this extension will be described in greater detail hereinafter. A top spacer flap 78 is articulated to panel 44, along the top edge thereof, score line 80. Top flap 78 is provided with a plurality of score lines 82, to provide for the folding of the uppermost portion of panel 78 into a spacing-reinforcement beam 91 having a square cross-section. The uppermost edge 88 of panel 78 is inserted beneath three tabs 86 derived from cutouts 84 in the panels 78.

Articulated along score line 92 at the bottom of panel 44 is a bottom spacer flap 90 similar to the top flap 78 and having the same arrangement of fold lines 82 for providing an additional spacing-reinforcement beam 91 thereon.

The beams 91 are not actually formed until the container is ready for use, as will be understood. Thus the latent beam structures, the flat extensions of flaps 78, 90 take up no extra space in the width dimension of the flattened, collapsed dual-walled container.

Referring to end panel 46, a parallel connecting flap 66 is shown articulated thereto along score line 68 and an L-shaped connecting flap 70 is articulated along the opposite end thereof, with the L-shaped connecting flap 70 being similar to the flap 56 hinged to panel 44. End panels 46 and 50 have conventional upper and lower closing flaps 94 and 99, respectively, articulated along score lines 95 and 97, respectively.

In connecting the several panels of liner 42, the various parallel end connecting flaps 52 and 68 are fastened to the adjacent portions 72 and 58 of L-shaped connecting flaps 56 and 70, as shown. In accordance with the invention, this connection may be made in a variety of ways including the use of heat sealing, sonic welding and like autogenous bonding methods for plastic materials and/or by the application of adhesives, the use of mechanical fasteners such as staples and the like, as will be understood. In the illustrated embodiment which is exemplary only, this connection is made by staples 114 (FIG. 3).

The inner liner 42 is inserted into the outer container 10 and is fastened thereto through the connection of portions 62, 74 of the L-shaped connecting flaps 56, 70, by any one or combination of the aforementioned joining techniques. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, portion 74 of L-shaped connecting flap 70 is connected to end panel 22 of outer container 10 by the use of staples 100. Portion 62 of panel 48, is in turn connected to panel 24 by staples 102 and portion 62 of panel 44 is connected to panel 14 by staples 104.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention the container may be totally collapsed for storage or shipment, as an integral self-contained dual-wall unit. When it is to be erected, the bottom flaps of the outer container and liner are closed, permitting packing of articles into liner portion 42 through the upper opened flaps. Flaps 99 of the liner 42 are closed by folding along score lines 97 and panels 90 are folded over panels 99 along score lines 92. At this point, the beams 91 are flat or unfolded. The beams 91 are formed in the manner described above and then the flaps 90 are folded, causing the beams 91 to abut. The abutted beams 91 serve to reinforce the container and to maintain the spacing of the dual walls which define an impact zone 110 for added protection of articles in the liner 42. To complete the closure of the bottom of the container, in accordance herewith, the bottom flaps 38 of outer portion 10 are closed and sealed in a conventional manner such as by the application of further staples, sealing tape, adhesives, or by welding techniques.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the dual-walled container, in accordance herewith, is shown with the liner 42 inserted therein and connected thereto and with the upper closing flaps 78, 94 closed. With this arrangement, the beams 91 provide for rigidity and maintenance of an impact zone in the container, in accordance herewith, between the uppermost flaps 78 of liner 42 and the top flaps 34 of the outer portion of the container 10. Moreover, at each corner of the structure, the end connecting flaps 52, 56, 66 and 70 extend above the horizontal closed flaps 78 at each corner to establish and to maintain this impact zone between flaps 78 and flaps 34, which zone, of course, provides thermal insulation, as well as space for inclusion of heating or cooling means, e.g. dry ice.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a section through the container shown in FIG. 2, and illustrates more clearly the arrangement of the end connecting flaps of the inner walls 44, 46, 48 and 50 of liner 42, with the outer walls of the container. It will be apparent from this view, that the construction of the various end connecting flaps and their particular cooperation in the erected container enhances the rigidity of all four corners of the container. Moreover, the new construction provides and maintains an impact and insulating zone 110 completely surrounding internal liner 42 to protect articles placed in the liner.

As shown in FIG. 4, a portion 74 on L-shaped connecting flap 70 extends from a connection portion 72 thereof to the side wall 24 of the outer wall of the container, to maintain cushioning and insulating space 110 along each side of the dual-walled container. Moreover, the reinforcing-spacing beams 91 of panels 78 and 90, respectively, serve to maintain the impact zone 110 at the top and the bottom of the liner 42. The adjacent end connecting members such as flaps 52, 70 serve to secure further the impact zones above and below liner 42 within the outer walls of the container.

As shown in FIG. 5, the arrangement of the score lines of the outer-walled portion 10 of the container, and of the liner 42 provide the total collapsibility of the entire container. Moreover, the particular reinforcing beam structures, as shown, provide for a relatively flat contour for the entire collapsed structure for storage purposes, so that a minimum of space is utilized for each collapsed container.

With the utilization of synthetic board materials such as described above, or extruded plastic "corrugated" packaging materials, the containers, in accordance herewith, are particularly appropriate for use in storage and shipping areas where moisture resistance is important. Thus, there is provided in accordance herewith, structures and arrangements of containers providing a dual-walled structure, with the internal liner portion thereof being integral with the outer portion, and incorporating integral means for maintaining a spaced relationship between the inner and outer walls simultaneously with providing for collapsibility, storage, and handling of the entire dual-walled structure as a single unit. It should be noted that in those instances where extraordinary protection of articles is required, the impact zone maintained in structures herein may be provided with inflatable cushions or dunnage bags which may be inflated for use by gas under pressure in known manner. When such bags or containers are inflated, increased protection is realized because of the shock absorbing nature of such devices, as will be understood and as is described in copending application Ser. No. 320,453 filed Jan. 2, 1973. With the novel arrangement of the present invention; each container may be readily erected by the user for shipping articles in a protected state without the need of joining a multiplicity of separate elements prior to the packing of the goods and sealing of the containers. Moreover, the containers of the invention in their collapsed state may be stored and/or shipped in a minimum of space. With these arrangements, the containers are particularly appropriate for mass production use.

While the arrangement of the structure herein described constitutes one of many preferred embodiments of the invention, and is for the purposes of illustration only, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise structure and that changes may be made therein without departing from the full scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A collapsible corrugated shipping container with a self-contained corrugated liner comprising

a. an outer container portion including four consecutively hinged outer side walls of predetermined height;

b. top and bottom outer closing flaps hinged to said outer side walls;

c. a liner portion including four separate inner side walls, each having a spacing extension means projecting laterally from one end thereof;

d. L-shaped connecting means articulated at the other ends of said liner walls;

e. fastening means joining inner legs of said connecting means to the extension means of adjacent liner walls and joining outer legs of said connecting means to each of said outer walls thereby mutually spacing said inner and outer walls; and

f. top and bottom liner closing flaps articulated to said inner walls.

2. The collapsible container of claim 1, in which

a. said inner and outer container portions are fabricated from heat sealable plastic sheet material; and

b. said fastening means are welds.

3. A collapsible container as recited in claim 1, in which

a. each of said extension means projects vertically beyond the edges of said liner walls and is substantially equal in height to the height of said outer walls.

4. A collapsible container as recited in claim 1, including

a. beam forming portions included at free edge portions of said inner closing flaps;

b. said beam forming portions including score lines defining four consecutively articulated panels which when folded upon themselves form a beam-like member of substantially square cross-section, and

c. each of said spacer flaps has a plurality of cutouts forming locking tabs for receiving and retaining a folded free edge of said spacer flap in beam forming relation.

5. A collapsible container as recited in claim 4, in which

a. the beam-like members formed by said beam forming portions are abutted in face-to-face relation.

6. In a collapsible container for storing and shipping articles having an outer portion of consecutively hinged outer side walls and end walls, each of said walls having top and bottom closing flaps; an improved closed inner container including

a. a liner portion comprising four separate inner walls having top and bottom closing flaps hinged thereto; and

b. connecting means articulated to each of said four inner walls simultaneously joining adjacent ends of said four walls permanently integrating said liner to said outer side walls;

c. said connecting means including spacing means maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between said inner and outer walls;

d. each of said connecting means extends vertically beyond the upper and lower edges of said inner walls and laterally beyond the side edges of said inner walls.