Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This is a divisional of appli.cation Serial No. 337,370
filed October 11th, 1979.
FIEL3 OF T~E INV NTION
The presen~ invention relates _o a basket-li.ke container
particularly sultabLe ror ~ruit or o~er forms of produc2.
BACKGROUND OF THE _INVENTION
Fresh r~uits, vegetables, and other co~modities ara
commonly marketed in open top ba~kets or ~rays. One type or
basket wnich has been used 40r many years is the wood splint
basket which is manufactured and ~amains ln an aracted posi.ion
and cannot be stored flat. Other ~y~es of oaskats or trays
which have become increasingly Lmportant in r-cen~ years are
40r,med from Liberboard such as corrugat~d paperboard and the
liXe, and these are generally constructed so that they may be
stored ln a substantially flat position, and erected just prior
to use. Examples o~ such baskets are shown in Canadian Patents
665,3~7 issued June 18, 1963 to Vesak; 757,928 issued L~ay 2, 1967
to Vesak; 7`70,474 issued October 31, 1967 to Kotowick; 689,477
issued June 23, 1964 to Hawkins and 1,028,298 issued March 21,
1978 to McArdle., All of the baskets shown in the above pa.ents
can be s~ored in the flat position and erected immediateLy prior
to use. However, all of these designs offer a number of
disad~antages in terms OL simplicity o4 constructicn, ease o~
erection, and in terms of strength ana durabilit-y. Many o~
the prior art designs employ a so-called manufactursr's joint
~hich often takes the rorm o4 a length o4 gummed tape to complate
the ~lnal assembly process. This tends to incr2ase manufacturing
costs significantly. Many or the designs are also unduLy
complicated and require numerous interlocklng ta~ and slot
connections to provide the required degrae o4 strength. These
compli~cata the assembly process; many or the ~rior a-t designs
also require a multiplicity of pieces of board material 25, for
example, a handle construction which must be connected to
the body of the basket after assembl~.
SUMMARY OF THE I~VENTION
It is a main object of the invention to provide
an Lmproved closure employing a slmple locking tab or ta~s
dPsigned to be read~ly inserted through a slot in a ~ot~om wall
of the basket with a slight pressure of the hand.
It is a further object to provide a container whereln
the end walls when in position apply internal compression forces
which serve to square the container and which, once in the
verticaL position with the loc.k tab applied, cannot be dislodged
without diser.gaging the lock tab for carrying the container.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
locking tab arrangement provi~ed wit~ butterf'l~ wings which can
be folded over the interior of the container bottom wall thereby
to further prevent unwanted disengagement of the lock tab. It
is a further object to provide an arrangement wherein ~he
above mentioned internal pressures from the end walls act upon
the walls and panels of the assembly which, together with the
cLose tolerances em~loyed,provide tension ~orces acting on the
locki~g tab thereby to hold the locked tab fi~mly in poqition.
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Thus, in accordance with the in~ention herein there is
provided a basket-like container of semi-rigid sheet material
including a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending side
walls, a bottom wall extending between the side walls, and a
pair of opposed end walls. A single joint is provided between
the bottom wall and one of the side walls, the bottom wall in-
cluding a side edge connected to a lower edge of one of the side
walls along a fold line, and an opposing side edge connected along
a further fold line to a narrow flap. The narrow flap lies
inside of and in close juxtaposition to a lower portion of the
other side wall. The single joint is characterized by the
bottom wall having at least one opening therein immediately
adjacent the narrow flap. A tab is connected to a lower edge
portion of the other side wall and has dimensions slightly
greater than the corresponding dimensions of the opening to
allow the tab to be forced through the opening from the under-
side of the bottom wall to provide a secure joint.
In the preferred embodiment, the opening in the bottom
wall is elongated and preferably of rectangular outline, and
extends in a lengthwise direction with the tab being of a shape
corresponding to the shape of the opening but with dimensions
slightly greater as described above. In the preferred embodi-
ment opposing end portions of the tab are
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provided with ~oldable wing ~ortions which, after insertion
o~ the tab through the opening, are unfolded so as to overl~
portions of the bottom wall to furtner secure the ta~ in the
opening.
Further aspects of the inven~ion are set foxth ln the
claims appended hereto.
BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF T~E D~AWINGS
In drawings which illustrate a prererr~d ~mbodiment of
the in~7ention:
Fig. 1 i~ a pers~ective view of a basket~ e cont~iner
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view;
Fig. 3 is a side ~levation view;
Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view;
Pig. 5 is an end elevation view;
Fig. 6 is a view o~ the blan.~ used to maXe the container;
~ lg. 7 is a perspective vie~ o~ the container in a
partially assemblsd condition.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION O~ THE P~E~ERRED E~ODI~ENT
Referring now to the drawings there is ,hown a ba3kat- ~ ;
like container 10 constructed from corrugatad paperboard. ~he
containex includes a pair of spac~d apar~ eLonga~ed paraLleL
side walls L2 and a bottom wall 14 extending between the slde
waLls. A pair of opposing end walls 16 extend between ~he
side walls 12 with such end walls 'seing di_posed generally at
right angles to the bottom waLl L4. Each end walI 16 has
an opposed pair or side ~la3s 18 connected to sid~ ~dge porlions
.. ~ ... . ... . .
~ 5~ 5
thereof along respecti~Jely associated fold lines 1&. Each of
the side flaps 18 is disposed inwzrdly of and in contacting
paralleL relation to the interior of the slde wall 12 ~ith which
it is associatad.
Each of the a~ove noted side flaps 18 is connected to
the side wall 12 with which it is associated through a respectiva
fold line 22 disposed at an oblique angle to ~he long~ikudinal
dimension or such side wall. It will be seen that each of the
obliauely dispcsed fold lines 22 ext.~nds from a point 24 adjacent
a respective upper corner of lts a~-sociated end wall 16 to 2
point 26 on the side wall spaced therefrom by a distance
sufficient that the obllquely disposed fold lines 22, i~
conjunction wlth the side flaps 18, ser~le to 13ck th~ opposing
and walls 16 in position between the spacad apart side walls
12.
It will be noted that the end wall side flaps 18 are
directed inwardly of the container 10 and include lower edge
?ortions 28 which bear against the bottom wall L4. The purpose
of this is to furthar resist outward ~ivotal movement of the
end walLs 16 under the influenc~ Oc inter~al pressures gensrated
when the container is illed with fruit or othex produce.
It will also be noted that the oblic~uely disposed fold
lines 22 are each disposed at about a 4~ ans~le to the
longitudLnal dimension o~ its associated side wall 12.
An inspec~ion of the drawings will reveal th2t the
container i~ made up or a single ~Lank OL corrugated ~aper~oard
and tnat there is a singla joint 30 be.~aen ~ha bot~om ~all
14 and one or ~he sida walls 12. It will also ~e notPd tna~
the bottom wall 14, the side ~alls 12, and the end wall~ 1
each comprise only a sing~1e layer o~ paperboard.
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With further reference to the drawings it will be noted
that a narrow panel portion 32 is provided at each of the ter-
minal ends of the container 10 and extending between the side
walls 12. The end walls 16 are each hingedly connected along an
associated fold line 34 to a respective one of the narrow panel
portions 32 along an upper edge portion of such end wall. It
will also be seen that a narrow strip extends between upper edge
portions of the side walls 12 in a medial location therealong,
such narrow strip defining a handle 36 for the container. ~andle
36 is formed integrally with the side walls 12.
It will also be noted from the drawings that the narrow
panel portions 32 and the upper surface portions of the carrying
handle 36 all lie in substantially a common plane thereby to
allow for stacking of the containers one on top of the other.
With further reference to the drawings it will be seen
that the bottom wall 14 includes a side edge portion 40 which is
connected to a lower edge of one of the side walls 12 along a
fold line 42 and an opposing side edge portion 44 connected along
a fold line 46 to a narrow flap 48. This narrow flap 48 lies
inside of and in close:ju~osition. to a lower interior portion
of the other side wall 12. . :
The single joint 30 previously referred to includes an
elongated rectangular opening 50 in the bottom wall 14 which
extends in the lengthwise direction of the bottom immediately
adjacent the narrow flap ~8. An elonyated tab 52 is connected to
the lower edge portion 54 of the opposing side wall 12 which tab
has length and wi.dth dimensions slightly greater than the
length:and width dimensions of opening 50 thereb~ to allow the
,, .,, . ,.. i .. . ~. . , . . . , . - ~ .
the tab 52 to be forced through the opening 50 frcm the underside
;` of the b~ wall under a light hand pressure thereby providing
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a secur~ joint. The opposîr.g end portions of tab 52 ~re
provided with - oldable wing portions ~6 whieh, a4ter inserti~n
or the tab 52 through the o~ening SO,are unfolded so as to
overlie portions or the bot'om wall 14 thereby to ~~urther secur~
the tab 52 in the openlng 50.
The unltary blank for -the container 10 ls illustrated
in Fig. 6 and it will be seen. that it comprises a slngl~ shest
of corrugated pa~erbcard or other suitabl2 material. ~he blan~
includes L-irs~, secord and third spaced parallel fold lines
60, 61, and ~2 respectively,located between the first side ~all
12, an intermediat~ section, a second side wall defining partion
12, and a bottom wall deining portion 1~ respectively. The
blank fur~her includes spaced parallel edges 64 and 66 or
derining the end edges of the erected container. The blank
aLso includes a paiL of spaced cuts 68 ar.d 70 or defining
opposing end walls 1.6 and side 1aps 18 'or the container. Each
o-l the cuts 68 and 70 extend across the intermediate sectlon
and into the ~irst and secon.d side wall deining panels 1~ at
right; angLes to the irst and second fol~ lines 60 and 61. The
~0 cut~ 68 and 7Q thence proceed in paths which are spaced out~ardlv
from and in generally parallel relation to the fi~at and ,econd
fold lines 60 and 61 each toward.a res2ectively associated
one of the spaced parallei end defining edges 64 and 66 and
terminating short or same at points 24. Each o points 2~ ara
defined by a smalL aperture, ~,thlch apertures. enabLe the container
: to be readil~ folded and eliminate undue ~,JrinkliQg and stressing
of the paperboa~d material. The abo~Je ~ot3d end ~,~all de1ning
panels 16 a~re each further defined by a transverse fold line
34 extending between the first ~nd second fold li~es 60 and 61
a relatively short distanc2 inwardl~ of the assoclated end
de'ining sdge 64, 66 of the blank. The o~liquely disposed Lold
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lines 22 ~xtend from adj acent each of the opposing ends of the
transverse fold lines 34 to a respectively associated one o~
the points 24 of termination oLr the cuts 68 and 70.
A fourth fold line ~6 ?arallel to the p~eviously noted
fold lines 60, 61 and 62, serves to define the narrow flap 48
which extGnds l~ngthwise along the bottom ~all de~ining panel
14.. Also shown is the elongatGd rectangular opening 50 in the
bottom walL defining pan~l 14 i~mediately adjacent the fold line
76 and parall-l thereto. The blank also shows the first sid~
wall derining panel 12 as having a free marginal 54 paralLel to
the ~irs~ fold line 60 with such free marginal.edge also having
an eLongated tab 52 extenZing outwardly therefrom and having
length and ~ridth dimen~ions slightl-r greater than the length
and.width dimen~ions r~specti~ely of the opening S0 in the
bottom wall defining panel 14. Previousl.y not2d ~ gs 56 are
aLso shown.as- extending outwardl~ .'rom each or the opposing end
portions o~ t~e tab 52. Th~ wings 5.6 are each made somewhat
Longe~ than.the width of opening S0 so that, durin~ opening,
such wings must be Loided almost flat again~t the body o~ tab
52; othen~ise the~ wiLL tend to coc~ .sideways in openin~ 52 :~
a~d jam. The inner edges S~ of the wings ara sloped slightly
away from the free edge 54 of the associ ed side waLl defining
panel 12 and the root portion 57' o~ the slot defined between
edge S7 and edge 54 is made sufficlently r~ide so as to just
acco~modate the thickness or the marginal ~lap 48 ~xtending
along the bottom wall defining panel 14
Erection of the blank i~to the full~ ass2mbied contain~r
is extremely simple, rer~rence being had to ~igure l. T~e.
blank i5 first or all flexed alor.g the major rold llnes ~0, 61,
42 and 46 and the eld walls panels 16 are pushed dor~n manuall
''
by hand slightly to clear-same along the cut lines 68 and 70.
Then the side ~all panels 12 are swun~ downwardly as Lndicated
ky arrows A in Fig. 7 wlth the rssult being that the end wall
panels 16 swing downwardly toward their final assembled positions
by virtue of the action of the obliquely disposed fold lines 2~ -
actlng on the side flaps 18. The bottom wall la is ~hen swung
around in the general direction o axrow B and the ~arginai flap
48 thereon is then tuc~ed into its final position just inside
the lower ed~e ~4 of the opposing side wall panel 12. The
wings 56 are thence folded inwardly relative to tab 52 and the
tab 52 is~ then forced through openin~ S0 from the underside of
the bottom wall 14 and the wings 56 are then spread ou~wardly
thereby to lie flat on the side of the bot~om wall. The erec~ed
end walls L6 actually exert a slightly outwardly directed
?ressure on tne side walls 12 and aLso on the marginal 1ap ~8
and this- assis~s in maintaining a degree of tansion on the
tab 52 and the wings 56 thereon thus assisting in retaining
sam~ in a properl~ locked condition. It wilL be appreciated
from the above ~ha~ the erection ~rocedurQ is extremely simpl~
and reauires-Qnly a few seconds to accomplish.
A preferred embodimen~ of the i~te~tion .has been
descrlbed herein by way of example. Those s~illed in the art
wilL realize that numerous variations and modifications may be
made tnereto within the splrit or scope of the inv~ntion and
accordingly for definitions or the in~tentlon, rsfer~ncs ~houl~
be had to the claims appended hereto.
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