CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. App. Ser. No.62/507,304, filed May 17, 2017.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Field of Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to containers with integrated support structures and methods for using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to corrugated fiberboard containers provided with externally fixed support frames and methods for using the same.

[0004] Brief Description of Related Art

[0005] Containers formed of corrugated fiberboard material (e.g., cardboard boxes) are used in many applications for shipping and/or storing one or more objects or items. Containers of this type are typically transported and stored in a generally flat, unfolded configuration, and are folded into containers at the time of use.

[0006] Containers of this type generally do not exhibit substantial stacking strength and shipping protection unless they are filled with other reinforcing material (e.g., dunnage). Dunnage adds extra weight and cost, and is a separate material from the container that must be stored prior to use, and can present recycling challenges depending upon the materials utilized.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides devices that are reversibly foldabie between a compact configuration and a container configuration. The compact configuration allows a large number of the devices to be shipped in a minimum amount of space. It also allows a large number of the devices to be stored in a minimum amount of space.

[0008] Devices according to the invention comprise a top, a front panel, a left panel, a rear panel, a right panel and a bottom. When in the container configuration, the top and bottom are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, the front panel and the rear panel are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, and the left panel and the right panel are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, thereby cooperating to define a closed containment cavity, which can be used to contain one or more items (e.g. for shipping and/or storage),

[0009] In one embodiment, a first support frame is fixed to an exterior face of the left panel, and a second support frame is fixed to an exterior face of the right panel. In other embodiments, third and fourth support frames are fixed to exterior faces of the front and rear panels,

[0010] In another embodiment, support beams are fixed to interior faces of front and rear top flaps, and support beams are fixed to interior faces of front and rear bottom flaps. These flaps, when folded inwardly, place ends of the support beams adjacent to interior faces of the panels on which the first and second support frames are fixed. The support frames and support beams thus cooperate to form a bracing and reinforcing structure.

[0011] In another embodiment, vertical strength is improved by one or more support beams fixed to interior faces of the front and rear panels. The ends of these support beams are adjacent to the aforementioned support beams fixed to interior faces of the flaps. In this manner, the support beams and support frames cooperate to define a cage, which provides high strength.

[0012] Devices according to the invention preferably consist substantially of corrugated fiberboard, which makes it lightweight and recyclable. However, devices can alternatively be constructed using other materials. It will be appreciated that the dimensions (e.g., length, width and height) of devices according to the invention is largely a matter of design choice, and will be determined in view of the item or items to be contained, cost and end use applications. Product specific devices are disclosed, such as containers for shipping one or more wine bottles.

[0013] The present invention also provides methods of using devices according to the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing a device according to the invention from a stack of devices that in the compact configuration. The removed device is then reconfigured into the container configuration via a folding operation. The flaps to which support beams are affixed that are part of the bottom are folded inwardly until ends of the support beams are adjacent to interior faces of the sides of the device opposite the support frames, and then additional flaps, if present, are folded until their edges are aligned. Adhesive tape can be used to secure the bottom in this

arrangement. Next, the device is inverted such that the interior cavity is exposed. One or more items or objects are placed within the interior cavity of the device. Additional packing material and dunnage may be added, if appropriate. The top is then closed by folding the flaps in the same manner as the bottom. Again, adhesive tape can be used to secure the top in a closed arrangement.

[0014] In accordance with another method of the invention, a device containing one or more items is received from a shipper. The top is opened, preferably by cutting adhesive tape used to secure the top in a closed arrangement. The contents within the interior cavity of the device are then removed. The device is then inverted, and the bottom is opened, again preferably by cutting adhesive tape used to secure the bottom in a closed arrangement. The device is then foldingly converted into the compact configuration for storage and reuse. In another embodiment, the device is recycled after the contents have been removed from the interior cavity.

[0015] The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described below, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the present invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention in a container configuration.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the bottom of the device shown in FIG. 1 .

[0018] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the rear of the device shown in FIG. 1 .

[0019] FIG, 4 is a plan view showing the right side of the device shown in FIG. 1 .

[0020] FIG. 5 is a view of the section V-V taken through the device shown in FIG. 2.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a view of the section VI-VI taken through the device shown in FIG. 2. [0022] FIG. 7 is a view of the section VI I-VI I taken through the device shown in FIG. 3.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a view of the section VI I I-VI I I taken through the device shown in FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG, 9 is an isometric perspective view of the embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the compact configuration.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a plan view from above of the device shown in FIG. 9.

[0026] FIG. 1 1 is a plan view from a broad side of the device shown in FIG. 9.

[0027] FIG. 12 is a plan view from an end of the device shown in FIG. 9.

[0028] FIG, 13 is a plan view from a side showing eighteen devices as shown in FIG.

9 stacked for shipping or storage.

[0029] FIG. 14 is a plan view from above of an alternative embodiment of a support frame according to the invention.

[0030] FIG. 15 is a plan view from the front of another embodiment of a container according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 16 is a plan view from the front of yet another embodiment of a container according to the invention.

[0032] FIG. 17 is a view along the section XVI I-XVI I taken through FIG. 14.

[0033] FIG, 18 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of a container for shipping a bottle of single wine according to the invention.

[0034] FIG. 19 is an isometric perspective view of the embodiment of the container shown in FIG. 18 in the folded configuration.

[0035] FIG. 20 is an isometric perspective view of another embodiment of a container for shipping three bottles of wine according to the invention.

[0036] This specification and the accompanying drawing figures are merely illustrative, and various modifications and changes can be made in the subject matter disclosed herein without departing from what is defined in the appended claims. All references to direction and position, unless otherwise indicated, refer to the orientation of structures and components as illustrated in the drawings, and should not be construed as limiting the claims appended hereto. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Various views of a first embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 1-13. The device is reversibly foldable (i.e., selectively disposable or convertible) between a container configuration (as shown in FIGS. 1 -8) and a compact configuration (as shown in FIGS. 9-13).

[0038] With reference to the aforementioned drawing figures, the device comprises a top 20, a front panel 30, a left panel 40, a rear panel 50, a right panel 60 and a bottom 70. When the device is in the container configuration, the top and bottom are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, the front panel and the rear panel are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, and the left panel and the right panel are spaced apart generally parallel to each other, thereby cooperating to define a closed

containment cavity, which can be used to contain one or more items (e.g. for shipping and/or storage).

[0039] A left side 80 of the front panel is connected to a right side 90 of the left panel along a first fold line 100. A left side 1 10 of the left panel is connected to a right side 120 of the rear panel along a second fold Iine130. A left side 140 of the rear panel is connected to a right side 150 of the right panel along a third fold line 160. And, a left side 170 of the right panel is connected to a right side 180 of the front panel along a fourth fold line 190.

[0040] The top comprises a front top flap 200 extending from a top side 210 of the front panel along a fifth fold line 220 and a rear top flap 230 extending from a top side 240 of the rear panel along a sixth fold line 250. The bottom comprises a front bottom flap 260 extending from a bottom side 270 of the front panel along a seventh fold line 280 and a rear bottom flap 290 extending from a bottom side 300 of the rear panel along an eighth fold line 310.

[0041] A first support frame 320 is fixed to an exterior face 330 of the left panel. A second support frame 340 is fixed to an exterior face 350 of the right panel. The support frames reinforce the panel to which they are affixed, and can serve as handles for carrying the device (particularly when heavily loaded).

[0042] A first support beam 360 is fixed to an interior face 370 of the front top flap. A second support beam 380 is fixed to an interior face 390 of the rear top flap. A third support beam 400 is fixed to an interior face 410 of the front bottom flap. A fourth support beam 420 is fixed to an interior face 430 of the rear bottom flap.

[0043] When the device is in the container configuration, a first end 440 of the third support beam is adjacent to an interior face 450 of the left panel opposite the first support frame and a second end 460 of the third support beam is adjacent to an interior face 470 of the right panel opposite the second support frame. When the device is in the container configuration, a first end 480 of the fourth support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the left panel opposite the first support frame and a second end 490 of the fourth support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the right panel opposite the second support frame, W'hen the device is in the container configuration, a first end 500 of the first support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the left panel opposite the first support frame, and a second end 510 of the first support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the right panel opposite the second support frame. Similarly, when the device is in the container configuration, a first end 520 of the second support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the left panel opposite the first support frame and a second end 530 of the second support beam is adjacent to the interior face of the right panel opposite the second support frame.

[0044] Preferably, a front support beam 540 is affixed to an interior face 550 of the front panel and a rear support beam 560 is affixed to an interior face 570 of the rear panel. When the device is in the container configuration, a first end 580 of the front support beam is adjacent to the first support beam, and a second end 590 of the front support beam is adjacent to the third support beam. Similarly, a first end of the rear support beam 585 is adjacent to the second support beam, and a second end of the rear support beam is adjacent to the fourth support beam 595. When the device is configured in this manner, the support beams and support frames cooperate to define a cage, which supports and protects the cavity within the container from forces acting on the container. It will be appreciated that two or more front support beams and/or rear support beams can be utilized, if desired. If two or more support beams are used on a particular side, it is helpful (but not necessary) for such support beams to be distributed in a symmetrica! manner so that the load is evenly distributed during stacking. [0045] The top preferably further comprises a left top flap 600 extending from a top side 610 of the left panel along a ninth fold line 620 and a right top flap 630 extending from a top side 640 of the right panel along a tenth fold line 650, Similarly, the bottom preferably further comprises a left bottom flap 660 extending from a bottom side 670 of the left panel along an eleventh fold line 680 and a right bottom flap 690 extending from a bottom side 700 of the right panel along an twelfth fold line 710.

[0046] In the embodiment illustrated in F!GS. 1 -13, a thirteenth fold line 720 disposed in the front panel parallel to the first fold line. The thirteenth fold line is spaced apart from the first fold line a distance that is generally equivalent to a thickness of the front support beam. Similarly, a fourteenth fold line 730 disposed in the rear panel parallel to the third fold line. The fourteenth fold line is spaced apart from the third fold line a distance that is generally equivalent to a thickness of the rear support beam.

[0047] FIGS. 9-13 show the device 10 in the compact configuration. The flaps on which the first, second, third and fourth support beams are affixed, respectively are folded back toward the exterior of the device, and the flaps on which no support beams are affixed are folded inward toward the interior cavity. This, and the thirteenth and fourteenth fold lines, allow the device to be flattened in such a manner at least a portion of the front panel is coplanar with one of the left panel and the right panel (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 8-13). This allows a substantial number of the devices to be stacked one atop another (e.g., as shown in FIG. 13) for compact shipping and storage.

[0048] The device preferably consists essentially of corrugated fiberboard and adhesives, which makes it lightweight and recyclable. However, it will be appreciated that the device can be constructed using other similar materials (e.g., corrugated plastic sheeting such as COROPLAST®). Adhesive tape 740 may be applied to the device to secure the device in the container configuration. The use of adhesive tape allows the device is to be reused. The adhesive tape can be cut with a knife to allow the flaps to be folded away. The device can be stored in the compact configuration and then folded back into the container configuration for use a shipping or storage container. The device can be re-sealed in the container configuration using adhesive tape once the flaps are folded back to the container configuration. The device is very durable, and can be used repeatedly. [0049] The first support frame, the second support frame, the first support beam, the second support beam, the third support beam and the fourth support beam are each preferably formed of an elongate structure comprising a hollow outer portion formed of corrugated fiberboard sheet material and an accordion-folded inner support formed of corrugated fiberboard sheet material. Elongate structures of this type were previously disclosed by the inventor in International Application No. PCT/US2015/057958, filed October 20, 2015, which was published as WO 2016/069843 A1 , and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully rewritten herein.

[0050] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 -13, the hollow outer portion has four outer surfaces that define a rectangle when viewed in cross-section transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongate structure and the accordion-folded inner support is enclosed within the hollow outer portion. As illustrated in the incorporated application, the inner support includes a plurality of first spaced-apart peaks that contact a first inner surface of the hollow outer portion and a plurality of second spaced-apart peaks that contact an opposing second inner surface of the hollow outer portion. The hollow outer portion and the accordion-folded inner support can be formed of separate and distinct pieces of corrugated fiberboard sheet material, or they can be integrally formed from one piece of corrugated fiberboard sheet material. Preferably, at least a portion of the first peaks are adhesively joined to the first inner surface and/or at least a portion of the second peaks are adhesively joined to the second inner surface.

[0051] FIG. 14 shows an alternative embodiment of a support frame 750. The support frame includes elongate structures 760 as described above. The four corners of the support frame are reinforced by corner gussets 770. In this embodiment, the hollow outer portion of the elongate structures has four outer surfaces that define a quadrilateral when viewed in cross-section transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongate structure (see FIG. 17). In this embodiment, the quadrilateral is a trapezoid. The beveled side of the trapezoid 780 can face toward or away from the exterior face of the panel of the device to which it is attached, as desired. It is believed that support frames having a trapezoid shape in cross-section are less prone to snag other containers when the same are moved on conveyer bels and the like. [0052] In the illustrated embodiments, the support frames have mitered corners. But it will be appreciated that other configurations of the picture frame-like elements (e.g., straight-cut, ^! butt joint" corners) could also be utilized. The outer periphery of the support frames preferably extend to the outer edges of the panels on which they are affixed.

[0053] FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of a device 790 according to the invention. In this embodiment, support frames are fixed to exterior faces of all panels (except the top and bottom), but no front or rear support beams are fixed to interior faces of the panels (support beams can be affixed to interior faces of the flaps). This permits the device to be reversibly foldable between a compact configuration and a container configuration.

[0054] FIG. 16 shows another embodiment of a device 800 according to the invention. In this embodiment, support frames are fixed to exterior faces of the left and right panels, and no front or rear support beams are fixed to interior faces of the panels (support beams can be affixed to interior faces of the flaps). This permits the device to be reversibly foldable between a compact configuration and a container configuration. The thirteenth and fourteenth fold lines that appear in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 -13 are not required in this embodiment.

[0055] It will be appreciated that the dimensions (e.g., length, width and height) of the device is largely a matter of design choice, and will be determined in view of the item or items to be contained, cost and end use applications. Accordingly, the dimensions of the support beams, the thickness of the material used to fabricate the panels (etc.) can be varied within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0056] FIGS. 18 and 19 show another embodiment of a device 810 according to the invention. In this embodiment, a rectangular support frame 820 is mounted to a wrapping panel 830 provided with at least two fold lines 840, 850. The wrapping panel is configured to be wrapped around the support frame, and thereby envelope an interior cavity 860 defined by the rectangular support frame such that the at least two fold lines align with at least a bottom left edge 870 and a top left edge 880, respectively, of the rectangular support frame. Preferably, the wrapping panel further comprises a third fold line 890, which aligns with the right top edge 900 of the rectangular support frame and includes a panel 910, which terminates at or near the right bottom edge 920 of the rectangular support frame.

[0057] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, the interior cavity defined by the support frame is dimensioned to receive a single wine bottle 930. The interior cavity of the rectangular support frame also contains a U-shaped wine-bottle support 940 that is provided with an opening 950 for receiving a neck of the single wine bottle. Applicant has discovered that it is preferably for the interior cavity of the rectangular support frame to be slightly wider than the wine bottle (e.g., to have a 3 mm to 8 mm gap on each side), and for the U-shaped wine bottle support to stand the end of the wine bottle a similar distance away from the rectangular support frame. This spacing was surprisingly discovered to improve the survivability of wine during shipping (it is virtually impossible to break a wine bottle packaged in this manner). Adhesive tape can be used to secure the wrapping panel to the rectangular support frame once the wine bottle has been disposed within the interior cavity of the support frame. The use of adhesive tape allows the device to be reused on multiple occasions.

[0058] FIG. 20 shows an embodiment of a device 960 that has an interior cavity 970 dimensioned to receive three wine bottles side by side. In this embodiment, the interior cavity of the rectangular support frame contains dividers 980 for separating the three bottles of wine from each other. It will be appreciated that the number of wine bottles (or other products) contained within a device of the type disclosed herein is largely one of design choice, and that the dimensions can be adjusted to accommodate specific objects to be contained, stored and/or shipped.

[0059] The devices shown in FIGS. 18-20 are also reversibly foldable between a compact configuration and a container configuration. In the compact configuration, the interior face of the wrapping panel is generally in the same plane as the bottom of the support frame mounted thereto. By alternatingly inverting the devices in the compact configuration, it is possible to stack a large number of the devices in a minimum amount of space. Once one or more items are placed within the interior cavity defined by the support frame, the wrapping panel can be foldingly configured such that it wraps, envelopes and seals the one or more items within the interior cavity. [0060] The present invention also provides methods of using devices according to the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing a device according to the invention from a stack of devices that in the compact configuration. The removed device is then reconfigured into the container configuration via a folding operation. The flaps to which support beams are affixed that are part of the bottom are folded inwardly until ends of the support beams are adjacent to interior faces of the sides of the device opposite the support frames, and then additional flaps, if present, are folded until their edges are aligned. Adhesive tape can be used to secure the bottom in this

arrangement. Next, the device is inverted such that the interior cavity is exposed. One or more items or objects are placed within the interior cavity of the device. Additional packing material and dunnage may be added, if appropriate. The top is then closed by folding the flaps in the same manner as the bottom. Again, adhesive tape can be used to secure the top in a closed arrangement.

[0061] In accordance with another method of the invention, a device containing one or more items is received from a shipper. The top is opened, preferably by cutting adhesive tape used to secure the top in a closed arrangement. The contents within the interior cavity of the device are then removed. The device is then inverted, and the bottom is opened, again preferably by cutting adhesive tape used to secure the bottom in a closed arrangement. The device is then foldingly converted into the compact configuration for storage and reuse. In another embodiment, the device is recycled after the contents have been removed from the interior cavity.

[0062] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.