NZ513577A - Container erected from blank with inwardly directed flaps to provide cushioning support for an item in three orthogonal directions - Google Patents

Abstract

The container has inwardly directed flaps so as to provide cushioning support for a single item, typically an avocado, in three orthogonal directions.

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 513577 513577 Intellectual Property Office of NZ 2h OCT 2003 received NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 513577 Date: 14 August 2001 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "A Container" We, CARTER HOLT HARVEY LIMITED, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: Intellectual Property Office of NZ 24 OCT 2003 -2- received The present invention relates to improved containers.

Many forms of the container have been adapted for use in conveying produce or other products.

The present invention relates to a container of a kind preferably erected from a single piece blank so as to serve a function of at least in part protecting the item and also aesthetically presenting the item for viewing when any such container is being held or is on an appropriate support surface.

The present invention therefore is directed to such containers, blanks for such containers and related assemblies including packs of such individual containers each with its discreet item and the related use thereof.

In one aspect the present invention consists in a container for an item erected or erectable from a blank, said container having a periphery and a plurality of flaps inwardly of said periphery thereby to provide a cushioning support mechanism for a said item therein.

Preferably said periphery of said container is substantially of a closed ended tubular form of square or rectangular tubular section, there being a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls (which walls define said tubular section) and two end walls.

Preferably said cushioning support mechanism is at least in part provided for by flaps extending from said end wall or top wall.

Preferably said cushioning support mechanism allows said item so supported to be viewed via one or more openings in said periphery.

Preferably at least one end ("the flap closed end") said container is closed by at least one flap of the blank.

Preferably said end wall other than said flap closed end of the container is a "crash bottom" end.

Preferably said cushioning support mechanism is provided by a plurality of flaps of the blank.

Preferably at least one of the flaps hinges obliquely with respect to major axes of the container.

Preferably said plurality of flaps includes a flap of a flapped opening from the top wall panel thereby providing a viewing opening.

In another aspect the present invention consists in a "crash bottom" ended Intellectual Property Office of NZ 24 OCT 2003 -3- RECEIVED tubular container erectable from a blank where the "crash bottom" is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of the square or rectangular tubular cross section of the container.

Preferably the other end of the tubular section is also oblique (when closed) with respect to said tube axis.

Preferably said other end obliqueness is to some extent (at least approximately) oppositely angled with respect to the obliqueness of the "crash bottom" end.

Preferably said container includes in at least one wall of the tube region thereof (and preferably a top or longest wall) at least one display opening.

Preferably said container is a container as hereinafter described with respect to other aspects of the present invention or which is of a kind having any one or more of the features hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In another aspect the present invention consists in a container for an item, said container having in its closed condition six sides and being substantially of a closed ended tubular form of square or rectangular tubular section such that the six sides referred to are defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls (which walls define said tubular section) and the two ends, wherein said top wall has an inwardly flapped opening, the distal region of which top wall flap is directed to a lidded end of the container, and wherein the lidded end of the container has (i) a bottom wall flap the distal end of which laps (whether above or below or both) the flap of said flapped opening of the top wall, such bottom wall flap extending from a fold or connection at the lidded end, (ii) two side wall flaps, one from each of the side walls, and (iii) a closure flap with a distal tongue extending from the top wall, said tongue being engagable between (a) said two side wall flaps and (b) said bottom wall flap to secure the lidded closure of the lidded end of the container, and wherein each of said side wall flaps folds to provide a flap extension thereof; Intellectual Property Office of N2 24 OCT 2003 received and wherein an intended article can be enclosed in said container to be viewed through at least said flapped opening of the top wall and to be held above the bottom wall and away from each of the ends by said side wall flap provided flap extensions, the top wall flap of the flapped opening and the bottom wall flap.

Preferably in the erected container the bottom wall flap underlies the flap of the top wall flapped opening.

Preferably the flap of the top wall flapped opening is hinged in such a way as to emphasise its hinged resilience, eg; preferably by use of a curve as the foldline.

Preferably the bottom wall flap is much longer from its hinge line to its distal region than said top wall flap.

Preferably said top wall includes at least one inspection opening in addition the flapped opening of the top wall.

Preferably the lidded end includes a complex hinged region which provides a multi curve and/or arc bounded bevel.

Preferably the end other than said lidded end of the container is a "crash bottom" end.

Preferably said container is a container as previously described, ie; a "crash bottom" ended tubular container where the crash bottom is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of its square or rectangular tubular cross section.

Preferably said lidded end is also obliquely angled in its closed condition with respect to said tubular axis.

Preferably the oblique ends are such as to provide a side wall configuration that is substantially a trapezoid with substantially oppositely angled oblique ends.

Preferably arcuate hinge axes for the flap of flapped opening of the top wall and/or as part of a hinging feature for the tongued lid at the lidded end (which preferably also provides in part a preferred bevel or the like) has the effect of providing an upward contouring of end regions of the top wall when viewed normal to the plane of the side walls.

Preferably said container has any one or more of the features hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in a pack of any one of the preceding claims when enclosing a discreet article of general spherical, ovoid, ellipsoid or the like shape (whether symmetrical or otherwise).

An example of such a discreet article is a fruit such as an avocado.

Intellectual Property Office of NZ 2 4 OCT 2003 -5- received In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a marketable commodity being an article enclosed but viewable whilst in a container as previously defined.

In another aspect the present invention is a blank or "lie flat assembly" of a blank for a container of the present invention or of the accompanying drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a pack of containers for discreet articles wherein each discrete article is of general spherical, ovoid, ellipsoid or the like shape (whether symmetrical or otherwise) comprising or including a lidded container (eg; a carton or case), and disposed in said lidded container a plurality of said discreet articles, each article being in its own dedicated individual container, such individual containers preferably being of any of the kinds previously described in whole or in part.

Preferably each individual dedicated container is a display container which can also be used to safely convey the article if desired.

Preferably said individual container is a container of one of the kinds previously described.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of transporting and displaying a fruit (such as avocados) for sale which comprises or involves packaging individual fruit in a container in accordance with the present invention or an individual container as previously defined, transporting such individual containers in a protective carton or case and thereafter, after opening of such protective carton or case, displaying the articles with still each in their individual container.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 1 is a perspective view of an erected container in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the container of Figure 1 showing an avocado located in the Intellectual Property Office of NZ 2 h OCT 2003 ~6~ RECEIVED container, Figure 3 is a plan view of the container of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an end view "AA" with respect to the container of Figure 1, ie; the lidded end, Figure 5 is a view "BB" of the container of Figure 1, ie; the "crash bottom" end, Figure 6 is a side elevation of the container of Figures 1 to 5, Figure 7 is another top perspective view of the container of Figures 1 and 2 to 6, Figure 8 is a blank from which after glueing a container of Figures 1 to 7 can be erected, Figure 9 is a lie flat pre-assembly but fully manufactured container in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 10 is a view of a pack comprising a carton or case (preferably stackable) in which a number of containers in accordance with the present invention are to be transported.

In accordance with the present invention the container has a generally rectangular tubular cross section defined by side walls 1, a top wall 2, a bottom wall 3 and a crash bottom end 4 and a lidded end 5.

In the preferred form of the present invention the side walls have a generally trapezoid type shape owing to the oblique nature of each of the closed walls 4 and 5.

In the preferred form of the present invention the blank as shown in Figure 8 is of a suitable paperboard such as for example a laminated card, eg; of Kraft paper.

Preferably the container is erected in a lie flat form as shown in Figure 9 after appropriate adhesive fixing to the extent required (eg; of flap 18) as will be apparent from the blank of Figure 8 using an appropriate adhesive, eg; PVA, EVA or any other appropriate adhesive.

As can be seen from Figure 1 there is provided in the top wall 2 an opening 6 provided by a die cut flap 7 hinged by an arcuate hinge line 8 from part of the top wall. In addition there is another display opening 9.

As can best be seen from Figure 5 there is provided a crash bottom end formed in a known way so that the container in its lie flat form as shown in Figure 9 can be Intellectual Property Office of NZ 2 4 OCT 2003 received brought to its tubular form with a crash bottom in the form shown in Figure 5. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate such "crash bottom" requirements.

It is a feature of one aspect of the present invention however to provide a "crash bottom" (of any type or form) that lies obliquely with respect of the erected tubular axis. As used herein "tubular" includes square or rectangular tubes or any other obvious variation thereof capable of being used without departing from the essence of the present invention.

As perhaps can best be seen in the blank of Figure 8 the hinge line 10 provides for a bottom wall flap 11 which extends to lap (preferably under) the top wall flap 7.

In addition the blank provides flaps 12 each hinged at hinge line 13 from the respective side wall panel 1. In turn each flap 12 extends beyond a score or other formed fold line 14 to extensions 15.

As can be seen in Figures 4 and 8 the lidding flap 16 with its tongue 17 extends from a bevel providing zone 18 preferably defined by two opposed arcuate scores.

In Figure 8 all fold or score lines are shown broken. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate those that would benefit from scoring, perforation, pre-folding or the like.

In the erected container it can be seen that the tongue 17 can be positioned within the tubular form of the container despite the inward directing of the extensions 15 from the flaps 12 of the side walls and despite the similarly inwardly directed flap 11 of the bottom wall 3.

In the preferred form, as can be seen, the top wall flap 7 laps over the flap 11 but this need not be so. Indeed it could be the other way round although that may be less aesthetic and may detract from the advantage that is possible with scoring as shown in Figure 8 which ensure the flap 7 better cradles the fruit or item to be packed as in Figure 2.

It is seen however from Figure 2 and the remaining figures that the item, if of appropriate size within the closed container, is kept from the bottom as well as the ends by the cradling effect of the members 7 and 15 and preferably also 11.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate how for transportation use high quality items such as fruits, eg; avocados or other similarly shaped produce can be packed individually and then be transported safely reliant upon (in transit) protection afforded by the stackability and stack support of the case or carton 19 as shown in Figure 10 in addition to the protection afforded by the cradling effect of the container of the invention, and thereafter to be displayed for sale while still in the pack or individual on some display, counter, shelf or the like. Such individual packing allows the product in that form to be purchased and taken home if desired in that form.

DATED THIS 0^~DAY OF £>g\oW 2@D3 Intellectual Property Office of NZ 2 h OCT 2003

Claims (21)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A container for a single item erected or erectable from a blank, said container having a periphery and a plurality of flaps inwardly of said periphery thereby to provide a cushioning support mechanism for a said item therein, wherein said cushioning support mechanism provides cushioning support for said item in at least one direction of each of the three Cartesian axes when referenced in at least one orientation to a said item included or to be included therein.

2. A container for an item of claim 1 wherein such cushioning support is in both directions of two of the said Cartesian axes, and in at least one direction of the third Cartesian axis.

3. A container for an item of claim 1 or 2 wherein said periphery of said container is substantially of a closed ended tubular form of square or rectangular tubular section, there being a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls (which walls define said tubular section) and two end walls.

4. A container for an item of claim 3 wherein said cushioning support mechanism is at least in part provided for by flaps extending from said end wall or top wall.

5. A container for an item of any one of claims 3 or 4 wherein said cushioning support mechanism allows said item so supported to be viewed via one or more openings in said periphery.

6. A container for an item of any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein at least one end ("the flap closed end") said container is closed by at least one flap of the blank.

7. A container of claim 6 wherein said end wall other than said flap closed end of the container is a "crash bottom" end.

8. A container for an item of any one of claims 2 to 7 where said cushioning support mechanism is provided by a plurality of flaps of the blank.

9. A container of claim 8 wherein at least one of the flaps hinges obliquely with respect to major axes of the container.

10. A container of claims 8 or 9 wherein said plurity of flaps includes a flap or flapped opening from the top wall panel thereby providing a viewing opening.

11. A container of claim 9 or 10 wherein said plurality of flaps includes at least one flap from an end ("flap closed end") that is not a "crash bottom" type end.

12. A container of claim 11 wherein said flap closed end has - 10- (i) a bottom wall flap, (ii) two side wall flaps, one from each of the side walls, and a closure flap having a distal tongue, said closure flap extending from the top wall.

13. A container of claim 12 wherein said flap closed end is substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A container of any one of claims 3 to 13 wherein both ends are oblique to the major axis such as to provide a side wall configuration that is substantially a trapezoid with substantially oppositely angled oblique ends.

15. A container substantially as hereindescribed with reference to one, some or all of the accompanying drawings.

16. A marketable commodity being an article enclosed but viewable whilst in a container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A blank or "lie flat assembly" of a blank for a container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 and/or as shown in any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

18. A pack of containers for discreet articles wherein each discreet article is of a general spherical, ovoid, ellipsoid or the like shape (whether symmetrical or otherwise), said pack comprising or including a lidded container (eg; a carton or case), and disposed in said lidded container, a plurality of said discreet articles, each article being in its own dedicated individual container, such individual containers being as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15.

19. A method of transporting and displaying an article for sale which comprises or involves packaging the article in a container of any one of claims 1 to 15, transporting such container in a protective carton or case and thereafter, after opening of such protective carton or case, displaying the article while still in its container.

20. A method of claim 19 wherein the article to be transported and/or displayed is a fruit.

21. A method of claim 20 wherein the fruit is an avocado. cA <H 3 t kp o *[\ I;»n;K);d;d;FIG. 7;& * <»# 8 "Old