Compressible Paperboard Container
A container including a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein at least one of the walls includes a plurality of pre-formed fold lines that facilitate controlled deformation of the wall when the container is under compression.
This application relates to containers and, more particularly, to paperboard containers having pre-formed fold lines configured to facilitate desired deformation of one or more walls when such paperboard containers are under compression.
BACKGROUNDProducts are typically shipped to retailers in bulk by enclosing multiple product units in a container, such as a paperboard carton or box, and stacking multiple such containers on a pallet. For example, canned soup may be shipped to a retailer on a pallet supporting multiple containers, with each container containing multiple individual cans. Then, a stock clerk typically removes the individual product units from the container and presents them (e.g., on a shelf) to consumers.
Alternatives to the traditional package-ship-unpack-display model are being developed in an effort to improve operating efficiency. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/777,444 filed on May 11, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a new system for dispensing and displaying products packaged in a container. Specifically, the system includes a dispenser having a frame, a product display area and an opening tool. The dispenser may be positioned on a retailer's shelf and loaded with product simply by placing a container comprising multiple units of product onto the frame of the dispenser. As the container is being placed onto the frame, the opening tool of the dispenser opens the container in such a manner that product rolls from the container to the product display area of the dispenser under the force of gravity.
In an effort to encourage products to move (e.g., roll) out of such containers and into the dispenser as desired, excess headspace if often provided between the products and the container. The excess headspace is believed to reduce the drag on individual product units from the container and adjacent product units. Unfortunately, when several such containers are stacked, such as on a pallet, the loads acting on the containers cause undesired deformation and creasing of the containers due to the excess headspace. Such deformation and creasing may be particularly undesirable when the external surfaces of such containers are printed with advertising indicia.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts directed to packaging containers.
SUMMARYIn one aspect, the disclosed compressible paperboard container may include a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein at least one of the walls includes a plurality of pre-formed fold lines.
In another aspect, the disclosed compressible paperboard container may include a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein two opposed walls each include a plurality of pre-formed fold lines that facilitate controlled deformation of the wall when the container is under compression.
In another aspect, the disclosed compressible paperboard container may include six walls assembled into a three-dimensional rectilinear body that defines an internal volume, wherein a first of the six walls includes a first plurality of pre-formed fold lines, and wherein a second of the six walls includes a second plurality of pre-formed fold lines, the second wall being laterally opposed from the first wall.
In another aspect, the disclosed compressible paperboard container may include six generally rectangular walls assembled into a three-dimensional rectilinear body that defines an internal volume, wherein a first of the six walls defines a first periphery and a first plane, and includes a first plurality of pre-formed fold lines that define a first central portion and couple the first central portion with the first periphery, and wherein a second of the six walls defines a second periphery and a second plane, and includes a second plurality of pre-formed fold lines that define a second central portion and couple the second central portion with the second periphery, the second wall being laterally opposed from the first wall such that the first plane is generally parallel with the second plane, and wherein the first central portion is displaced from the first plane and the second central portion is displaced from the second plane when a compression force is applied to the body in a direction generally parallel with the first plane.
In yet another aspect, disclosed is a packaging system that includes a first container including a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein at least one of the walls of said first container includes a plurality of pre-formed fold lines, and a second container stacked on top of the first container, the second container including a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein the wall with pre-formed fold lines is creased along the pre-formed fold lines.
Other aspects of the disclosed compressible paperboard container and associated packaging system will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
Referring to
Optionally, a partition 30 may extend through the internal volume 24 of the container 8 to divide the internal volume 24 into a first chamber 32 and a second chamber 34. For example, the partition 30 may extend between laterally opposed front and rear walls 12, 16 and between laterally opposed first end and second end walls 20, 22 such that the partition 30 is generally parallel with the upper and lower walls 14, 18. Therefore, a first quantity of products 26 may be received in the first chamber 32 and may be isolated from a second quantity of products 26 received in the second chamber 34.
The container 8 shown in
The container blank 100 may include a plurality of pre-formed fold lines 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122 that define wall panels 124, 126, 128, 130, a transition panel 132, a partition panel 134, minor end flaps 136, 138, 140, 142, major end flaps 144, 146, 148, 150 and partition flaps 152, 154. Specifically, wall panel 124 may be defined by the periphery of the blank 100 and fold lines 106, 110, 112, and may form the front wall 12 of the assembled container 8 (
The container 8 may be assembled by folding the container blank 100 along the longitudinal fold lines 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122 and connecting wall panel 124 to transition panel 132 to form the three-dimensional body 10 of the container, as shown in
With the container 8 partially assembled, the first 32 and second 34 chambers may be filled with product 26, as shown in
Still referring to
Specifically, as shown in
Thus, when a compression force F is applied to the upper wall 14 of the container 8, such as when a second container (not shown) is stacked on top of the container 8, the interconnected major end flaps 148, 150 of the end wall 20 may bow outward from the container 8, as shown in
Referring back to
Thus, when a compression force F is applied to the upper wall 14 of the container 8, as shown in
Like the front wall 12, the rear wall 16 may also include a plurality of pre-formed fold lines 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 (
Still referring to
While the disclosed compressible paperboard container 8 is described with reference to a rectangular carton having six walls 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various shapes and configurations may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Accordingly, the disclosed compressible paperboard container 8 is configured to deform in a controlled manner when a compression force, such as another container, is applied thereto, thereby reducing or eliminating the undesirable random creasing and deformation that occurs when prior art containers are placed under compression. Furthermore, the deformation of the disclosed compressible paperboard container 8 may be controlled such that adjacent containers 8 nest under compression.
Although various aspects of the disclosed compressible paperboard container have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A container comprising a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein at least one wall of said plurality of walls comprises a plurality of pre-formed fold lines.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein said plurality of walls comprise paperboard.
3. The container of claim 2 wherein said paperboard is C1S paperboard.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein at least one wall of said plurality of wall is marked with indicia.
5. The container of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pre-formed fold lines are configured to facilitate controlled deformation of said wall when said body is under compression.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein said wall includes a periphery, and wherein said plurality of pre-formed fold lines define a central portion of said wall and couple said central portion with said periphery.
7. The container of claim 6 wherein said wall is generally rectangular and includes four corners, and wherein said central portion is generally rectangular and includes four corners.
8. The container of claim 7 wherein a first pre-formed fold line of said plurality extends from a first corner of said four corners of said wall to a first corner of said four corners of said central portion, a second pre-formed fold line of said plurality extends from a second corner of said four corners of said wall to a second corner of said four corners of said central portion, a third pre-formed fold line of said plurality extends from a third corner of said four corners of said wall to a third corner of said four corners of said central portion, and a fourth pre-formed fold line of said plurality extends from a fourth corner of said four corners of said wall to a fourth corner of said four corners of said central portion.
9. The container of claim 6 wherein said wall defines a plane, and wherein said central portion is displaced from said plane when a compression force is applied to said body in a direction generally parallel with said plane.
10. The container of claim 9 wherein said central portion is displaced into said internal volume.
11. The container of claim 9 wherein said central portion is displaced away from said internal volume.
12. The container of claim 1 wherein two opposed walls of said plurality of walls each comprise said plurality of pre-formed fold lines.
13. The container of claim 1 wherein two opposed walls of said plurality each include a major flap extending therefrom, and wherein one wall of said plurality comprises said major flap of said first opposed wall connected to said major flap of said second opposed wall, with the proviso that said major flaps are not connected to any other flaps.
14. A container comprising six generally rectangular walls assembled into a three-dimensional rectilinear body that defines an internal volume, wherein a first wall of said six walls comprises a first plurality of pre-formed fold lines, and wherein a second wall of said six walls comprises a second plurality of pre-formed fold lines, said second wall being laterally opposed from said first wall.
15. The container of claim 14 wherein said six walls comprise paperboard.
16. The container of claim 14 wherein said first and second pluralities of pre-formed fold lines are configured to facilitate controlled deformation of said first and second walls when said body is under compression.
17. The container of claim 14 wherein said first and second walls each include a periphery, and wherein said first plurality of pre-formed fold lines define a central portion of said first wall and couple said central portion of said first wall with said periphery of said first wall, and wherein said second plurality of pre-formed fold lines define a central portion of said second wall and couple said central portion of said second wall with said periphery of said second wall.
18. The container of claim 17 wherein said first wall defines a first plane and said second wall defines a second plane, and wherein said central portion of said first wall is displaced from said first plane into said body and said central portion of said second wall is displaced from said second plane away from said body when a compression force is applied to said body.
19. The container of claim 14 wherein said first wall includes a first flap extending therefrom and second wall includes a second flap extending therefrom, and wherein laterally opposed third and fourth walls of said six walls each include a major flap extending therefrom, and wherein a fifth wall of said six walls comprises said major flap extending from said third wall connected to said major flap extending from said fourth wall, with the proviso that said major flaps are not connected to said first and second flaps.
20. A packaging system comprising:
- a first container comprising a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume, wherein at least one wall of said plurality of walls of said first container comprises a plurality of pre-formed fold lines; and
- a second container stacked on top of said first container, said second container comprising a plurality of walls assembled into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume,
- wherein said wall is creased along said plurality of pre-formed fold lines.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 25, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 29, 2012
Inventors: John Gelardi (Midlothian, VA), Aaron L. Bates (Moseley, VA), Laurel Thomas (Richmond, VA)
Application Number: 12/890,634
International Classification: B65D 85/00 (20060101); B65D 21/00 (20060101);