Container with sidewall bracing

Abstract

A container (10) includes a base (12), a pair of opposed endwalls (14) and a pair of opposed sidewalls (16), each sidewall having at least one reinforcing pillar (20) to form at least one pair of opposed reinforcing pillars with bracing means (26) extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars for bracing the sidewalls from bulging outwardly under load.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a container with sidewall bracing.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 1,974,527 describes a box known as a Bliss box. The Bliss box is made of three separate pieces of paperboard material. The three pieces consist of a body blank and sidewall panels. The body blank includes a base panel and two opposed endwall panels connected to the base panel by crease lines. The two sidewall panels are attached to the open ends of the erected body blank to form the Bliss box. The Bliss box has a partition for dividing the box into two compartments. The partition is formed by two sections each having two endwall extending portions and a partition portion, with the partition portions of the two sections being located back-to-back, and the endwall extending partitions extending along the endwalls of the erected box.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,033 describes on the Bliss box with integrally formed reinforcing pillars in its sidewalls.

[0004] The Bliss box suffers from the disadvantages that its sidewalls tend to bulge outwardly under load. It is an objective of this invention at least to reduce this disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the invention a container includes a base, a pair of opposed endwalls and a pair of opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having at least one reinforcing pillar to form at least one pair of opposed reinforcing pillars with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars for bracing the sidewalls from bulging outwardly under load.

[0006] The bracing means preferably includes engaging means for engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars.

[0007] The container preferably includes base flaps extending from the base and being secured to the sidewalls to define pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars and into which pockets the engaging means of the bracing means extend.

[0008] The bracing means may be an upright partition.

[0009] The partition preferably has engaging means in the form of slots located one towards either transverse end of the partition and a leg between each slot and its respective transverse end of the partition, and each reinforcing pillar having a slot for receiving an unslotted portion of the partition located above its respective slot in the partition. The lower ends of the legs preferably locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.

[0010] The partition may include at least one integrally formed reinforcing pillar.

[0011] The bracing means may be a horizontal beam extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars, the beam having two downwardly extending legs located one at either transverse end of the beam, with the legs engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars. The lower ends of the legs preferably locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.

[0012] The opposed reinforcing pillars preferably define female formations and the legs define a male formations with the male and female formations being in mating engagement with one another.

[0013] The horizontal beam preferably extends across the top of container.

[0014] The reinforcing pillars may be spaced from the base and extend above the sidewalls so that containers stacked one on top of the other in column form engage one another with their reinforcing pillars.

[0015] The endwalls and the base flaps are preferably joined to the base by crease lines, and the endwalls have endwall flaps secured to the sidewalls. The endwalls flaps and the base flaps may be secured to their respective sidewalls by an adhesive.

[0016] The reinforcing pillars in the sidewalls may be integrally formed in the sidewalls.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention a method of erecting a container includes the steps of:

[0018] providing a body blank having a base panel and a pair of opposed endwalls panels;

[0019] providing two separate sidewall panels:

[0020] forming at least one reinforcing pillar in each of the two separate sidewalls panels:

[0021] securing the endwall panels of the erected body blank to the sidewall panels; and

[0022] bracing opposing reinforcing pillars together with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars.

[0023] The method preferably includes the step of securing base flaps extending from the base panel to the sidewall panels to define pockets between the reinforcing pillars and the base flaps, and inserting engaging means of the bracing means into the pockets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container or box according to the invention with one partition in place;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a base and endwall blank for the box of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a side view of a sidewall blank for the box of FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a side view of a partition for the box of FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a box according to another embodiment to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a base and endwall blank for the box of FIG. 5;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a side view of a sidewall blank for the box of FIG. 5;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a lid blank for the box of FIG. 6;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a lid formed from the lid blank of FIG. 8;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a side view of another embodiment of a blank for a partition;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a partition formed from the blank of FIG. 10;

[0035] FIG. 12 is side view of a further embodiment of a blank for a partition;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a partition formed from the blank of FIG. 12;

[0037] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a box according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional plan view on line XV-XV of FIG. 14;

[0039] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a reinforcing beam for the box of FIG. 14; and

[0040] FIG. 17 is a plan view of a blank for forming the reinforcing beam of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 4, a box 10 made of two layers of corrugated cardboard includes a base 12, two endwalls 14, two sidewalls 16 and an opening 18 through which articles can be placed in the box 10. Each sidewall 16 has two integrally formed reinforcing pillars 20.

[0042] The sidewalls may be longer or shorter than the endwalls in a rectangular container. However, in a square container the sidewalls and the endwalls may be of equal length. However it will be understood that the reinforcing pillars are formed in the two separate sidewalls and not in the endwalls which are integrally formed with the base.

[0043] Each endwall 14 has endwall flaps 22 adhered with an adhesive to the sidewalls 16. Likewise the base 12 has two base flaps 24 adhered with an adhesive to the sidewalls 16.

[0044] Two partitions 26 extend between the sidewalls 18. For the sake of clarity only one partition is shown in FIG. 1. Each reinforcing pillar 20 has a slot 28, and each partition 26 has slots 30, so that the partitions 26 can slidably engage the apices 32 of the reinforcing pillars 20. The slots 20 define legs 21 between the slots 20 and the transverse ends 23 of the partitions. The lower portion of the legs 21 locates within pockets 26 between the base flaps 24 and the reinforcing pillars 20.

[0045] Excluding the partitions 26, the box 10 is formed from three blanks. The three blanks consist of a body blank 34 (FIG. 2) and two sidewall blanks 36 (FIG. 3) Each reinforcing pillar 20 is formed from three crease lines 38. The body blank 34 consists of base panel 12.1, two opposed endwall panels 14.2 connected to the base panel 12.2 by crease lines 35. Each endwall panel 14.2 has two opposed endwall panel flaps 22.2 connected to their respective endwall panels 14.2 by crease lines 37. The base panel 12.2 has two opposed base panel flaps 24.2 connected to it by crease lines 39.

[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 5 to 8, a box 10.1 is similar to box 10 except that the reinforcing pillars 20.1 are offset relative to the top and bottom of the box 10.1 to enable the boxes to engage one another when stacked one on top of the other in column fashion. Thus each reinforcing column 20.1 has a protruding portion 40 and a recess 42 below the reinforcing column 20.1. The protruding portion 40 of a lower box locates within the recess 42 of a box 10.1 stacked on top of the lower box. The base 12.1 contains four triangular apertures 42 through which the protruding portions 40 of a lower box can project

[0047] The box 10.1 has a lid 43 (FIG. 9) formed from a blank 44 (FIG. 8). The blank 44 and the lid 43 also contain four triangular apertures 46 through which the protruding portions 40 of the reinforcing pillars 20.1 project.

[0048] Circular apertures 48 are provided in the boxes to allow air to flow through the boxes when they are stacked together.

[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, a partition 26.1 is formed from a blank 36.2. The blank 36.2 contains four crease lines 38.1 for forming a Z-shaped reinforcing pillar 20.1 in the partition 26.1. A locking lug 50 is provided at the bottom of part of the reinforcing pillar 20.1 to lock within a slot (not shown) in the base of box to prevent longitudinal movement of the partition 26.1.

[0050] Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, a partition 26.2 is formed from a blank 38.3. The blank 36.3 contains three crease lines 38.2 for forming a V-shaped reinforcing pillar 20.2 in the partition 26.2.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 14 to 17, a corrugated board box 50 has a corrugated board reinforcing beam 52 extending between its two sidewalls 16. Legs 54 extend downwardly from either transverse end of the reinforcing beam 52. Each leg is integrally formed with the reinforcing beam 52. Each leg 54 is folded into a male formation in the form of a substantially triangular formation which locates in a female formation defined behind the reinforcing pillar. The lower portion of each leg locates fits snugly in a pocket 25.1 formed between its respective reinforcing pillar 20.1 and base flap 24.1.

[0052] The reinforcing beam 52 with its legs 64 is formed from a blank 56 in which cut lines 58 and crease lines 60 are formed to create the legs 54. Each leg consists of three sides 62, 64 and 66. The reinforcing beam has longitudinally extending flutes.

[0053] It will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A container including a base, a pair of opposed endwalls and a pair of opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having at least one reinforcing pillar to form at least one pair of opposed reinforcing pillars with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars for bracing the sidewalls from bulging outwardly under load.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the bracing means includes engaging means for engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars.

3. The container of claim 2 including base flaps extending from the base and being secured to the sidewalls to define pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars and into which pockets the engaging means of the bracing means extend.

4. The container of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the bracing means is an upright partition.

5. The container of claim 4, insofar as it is dependent on claim 2, wherein the partition has engaging means in the form of slots located one towards either transverse end of the partition and a leg between each slot and its respective transverse end of the partition, and each reinforcing pillar having a slot for receiving an unslotted portion of the partition located above its respective slot in the partition.

6. The container of claim 5, insofar as it is dependent on claim 3 wherein the lower ends of the legs locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.

7. The container of claim 4 wherein the partition includes at least one integrally formed reinforcing pillar.

8. The container of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the bracing means is a horizontal beam extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars, the beam having two downwardly extending legs located one at either transverse end of the beam, with the legs engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars.

9. The container of claim 8, insofar as it is dependent on claim 3, wherein the lower ends of the legs locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.

10. The container of claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the opposed reinforcing pillars define female formations and the legs define a male formations with the male and female formations being in mating engagement with one another.

11. The container of any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the horizontal beam extends across the top of container.

12. The container of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing pillars are spaced from the base and extend above the sidewalls so that containers stacked one on top of the other in column form engage one another with their reinforcing pillars.

13. The container of claim 3 wherein the endwalls and the base flaps are joined to the base by crease lines, and the endwalls have endwall flaps secured to the sidewalls.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the endwalls flaps and the base flaps are secured to their respective sidewalls by an adhesive.

15. The container of any one of the above claims wherein the at least one reinforcing pillar in each sidewall is integrally formed in each sidewall.

16. A container substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of erecting a container including the steps of:

providing a body blank having a base panel and a pair of opposed endwalls panels;

providing two separate sidewall panels;

forming at least one reinforcing pillar in each of the two separate sidewalls panels;

securing the endwall panels of the erect body blank to the sidewall panels, and

bracing opposing reinforcing pillars together with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step of securing base flaps extending from the base panel to the sidewall panels to define pockets between the reinforcing pillars and Fe base flaps, and inserting engaging means of the bracing means into the pockets.

19. A method of erecting a container substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.