US3031124A - Disposable container - Google Patents

Description

April 96 A. G. JANUS 3,031,124

DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 4461/94/05? 721w:

April 24, 1962 A. G. JANUS DISPOSABLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1959 INVENTOR. 44 axe/vase 61 JIM/0s BY 3,031,124 DISPOSAELE (IONTAINER Alexander G. Janus, Rochester, Minn, assignor to Consumer Merchandising Corporation, Rochester, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 846,326 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-26) This invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a foldable disposable container made from a scored blank.

It is an object of my invention to provide a compact, disposable container which may readily be folded from a single blank of stiff, flexible, foldable material.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a blank which can be folded readily into a container while the material to be contained is in position on the blank.

It is another object of my invention to provide a container which is capable of retaining either solid or fluid materials or a combination thereof.

It is an object of my invention to provide a disposable container for catamenial pads.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a con tainer made from a blank of stiff, foldable material in which all of the edges of said blank are substantially coextensive when the container is in a folded condition.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a blank of stiff, foldable material which may be nested with other similar blanks in a semi-folded condition.

It is another object of my invention to provide a blank which, when folded, becomes a container having sloping sides abutting at their top portion, thereby resembling a purse-type structure.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in Which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blank scored preparatory to folding;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG- URE 1 in a partially folded condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG- URE l in a nearly completed folded condition;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG- URE l in a completed folded condition; and

FEGURE 5 is a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 4 in a collapsed condition.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 wherein a blank is provided with a plurality of score lines 11 to facilitate folding. In the preferred embodiment, score lines 11 divide blank 10 into nine portions which are substantially equal in area with exceptions to be noted hereinunder. The portions may be identified as follows: bottom portion 12, side portions 13 and 13a, side overlap portions 14, 14a, 14b and 140, and end portions 15 and 15a;

A locking tab 16 is integral with blank 10 and is continguous with side portion 13. When the blank 10 is completely folded, locking tab 16 is inserted into a cut 17 in side portion 13a to close the container.

Each of the side overlap portions 14, 14a, 14b and 14c are provided with a notch or cut-out portion 18 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

End portions 15 and 15a are somewhat larger in area than the other said portions of blank 10 by reason of notched extensions 19 and 19a, for a purpose also to be described in detail hereinafter.

As hereinabove mentioned, the score lines 11 facilitate the folding, and, in a sense, form the interior boundaries of the various portions of blank 10. Particular reference 3,631,124 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 is made to score lines 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d which divide the blank into the nine portions hereinabove mentioned.

Each side overlap portion is provided with a diagonal score line 20 which connects notches 18 at one terminus of the score line 20 and joins at the other terminus with the intersection of score lines 11b and 11c; 11a, 11a, 11a; and 11b, 11d, respectively.

A center score line 21 extends from notched extension 19 and 19a to divide the blank 10 into two substantially equal portions.

The scoring on end portions 15 and 15a is as shown by score lines 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, 23, 29, 30 and 31, and 22a, 23a, 24a, 25a, 26a, 27a, 28a, 29a, 30a, and 3111, respectively, to be described in detail hereinafter.

It should be noted that the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 discloses a locking tab 16 and a cut 17 for maintaining the blank folded into a container in a closed condition when said locking tab 16 is inserted into cut 17; however locking tab 16 could also be inserted between any of the portions at the top part of the folded container (see FIG. 4).

It is also possible that the top portion of the container could be closed by tape or other adhesive means and, if it is desired that the container be fluid-tight, cut 17 could be eliminated or closed by a piece of tape or other adhesive material.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the blank 11) is shown partially folded along the hereinabove mentioned score lines with a pad A designated in broken line configuration. It should also be mentioned that the portion of blank 11) substantially as as disclosed in FIG. 2 would be suitable for nesting with a plurality of similar blanks for dispensing or the like.

In FIG. 3, the folding of blank 10 is shown in a more advanced stage than that shown in FIG. 2.

The side overlap portions 14, 14a, 14b and are shown folded along their respective diagonals 20 with overlap portions 14b and 14c interiorly of side portion 13a and overlap portions 14 and 14a interiorly of side portion 13. It is noted in FIG. 3 that the edges of notch 18 are substantially in alignment with the score lines of portion 13.

The end portions 15 and 15a are shown folded on their respective score lines with those portions of score line 21 upward of score lines 30, 31 and 30a, 31a, within the end portion being directed inwardly, and the portion of score line 21 within the end portions below score lines 30, 31 and Sfia, 31a being directed outwardly, as viewed in the drawings. The areas comprising score lines 26, 27, 28 and 29, and 26a, 27a, 28a and 29a constitute a bend area to facilitate shaping the container in those areas.

The final fold of blank 10 into a container 10' is shown in FIG. 4 with locking tab 16 inserted in cut 17. Tab 16 is shown partially broken away to disclose the alignment of the edges of the blank as they are brought together after folding and during closure of the container. A purse-type configuration results.

FIG. 5 is the container of FIG. 4 in a more collapsed and compact condition. To assist in this more compact folding, the score line 21 along bottom portion 12 is utilized.

Notched tab extensions 19 and 1911 fold inwardly and assist in closing the opening as their surfaces contact the surface of overlap portions 14a and 14b, and 140 and 14 as the case may be.

Thus, I have described the blank 10 and the scoring necessary to facilitate the folding of the blank into a container 10' which may be closed. The material of the preferred embodiment is stiff, flexible, foldable, paperboard but may be of any stiff, flexible, foldabie material or lamination thereof.

It has already been suggested that the blanks could nest one upon the other for ease in dispensing, but, it should also be noted, in the nesting position of FIG. 2, it is possible to place an elongated article such as a catemenial pad A,therein, and the blank may be folded into a container configuration with the article in place.

Folding the blank 10 into a container 10 is a simple operation and it is only necessary to emphasize that overlap portions 14b and 14c must overlap side portion 13a and overlap portions 14, and 14a must overlap side portion 13. After the overlap portions have been folded, a box-like container results. To complete the container, side portions 13 and 13a are moved toward one another at their uppermost portion until they touch. This positioning of the side portions will cause end portions 15 and 15a to infold and the edges of end portion extensions 19 and 19a will be in substantial alignment with the other edges of the blank in folded condition (see FIG. 4).

To collapse the container, the lower portions of side portion 13 and 13a are urged together, thereby causing bottom portion 12 to fold on score line 21.

If end portion extensions 19 and 1911 are eliminated, then a single score dividing each end panel will produce a somewhat similar purse configuration, but will not collapse as readily as the preferred embodiment of FIG. 4, nor will the useable volume within such a folded container be as great as the preferred embodiment.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A container comprising a blank of stiff, foldable. flexible material, a first pair of parallel score lines dividing said blank into three substantially equal areas, a second pair of parallel score lines subtantially normal to said first pair dividing said blank into a total of nine substantially equal areas, four of said areas being corner portions of said blank with each corner portion provided with a score line running diagonally thereof toward the center of said blank, the centrally located area being a bottom portion, two of said areas constituting end portions and lying at opposite sides of the bottom portion and each lying between two pairs of said corner portions, the remaining two of said nine subtantially equal areas being continuous and unscored side portions, said bottom portion and said end portions having a score line longitudinally bisecting the same, score means in said end portions extending across said longitudinally bisected score line, said corner portions all being infolded to overlap said side portions interiorly thereof and said end portions both being infolded to lie between respective pairs of corner portions wherein the outer edges of said blank are substantially in co-extensive alignment at the closure of said container, said portions being provided with closure means of a tag integral with one of said side portions and a cut located in the other side portion, said tab overlying portions of the co-extensively aligned outer edges of said blank and being interlocked with said out to maintain closure of said container.

References Qiterl in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,653 Potter May 26, 1908 970,480 Eddy Sept. 20, 1910 1,299,503 Pente Apr. 8, 1919 2,831,624 Lever Apr. 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,433 Germany AD. 1911

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