US3269640A - Container - Google Patents

Description

E. L. ARNESON Aug. 30, 1966 CONTAINER Filed April 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. '30, 1966 E. L. ARNESON CONTAINER Filed April 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,269,640 CONTAINER Edwin L. Arneson, Morris, Ill., assignor to Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., Bogota, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 444,626 10 Claims. (Cl. 22921) This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a container which is adapted for packaging and/ or display of articles of various kinds.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved container of generally cylindrical shape which is fabricated from a blank of paperboard or like material cut and scored toprovide the same with side wall forming panels and bottom forming panels which are adapted to be connected so as to form initially, in a knocked down condition, a container body which opens up into generally cylindrical form and a bottom end wall structure hinged at one end of the side wall so as to automatically fold into end wall forming relation when the side Wall panels are opened up.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a container which is adapted to be fabricated from a cut and scored blank which blank is divided into a series of hingedly connected panels joined so as to form .a collapsible, generally cylindrical container body which, when set up, has a side wall of generally cylindrical shape throughout the major portion thereof and a bottom wall forming end closure extending in a transverse plane and having a periphery defined by a multiplicity of straight edges each hinged to a generally flat faced web section in the bottom margin of the side Wall which web section merges into the cylindrical shape of the side wall.

- It is a further object of the invention to provide a generally cylindrical container which is collapsible into flattened condition and closed at one end by a series of hingedly connected panels which are interleaved and connected so as to fold upon each other between the collapsed side Wall forming panels in the collapsed position thereof and when the container is opened up having a periphery which is hexagonal with straight edge portions hinged to the bottom edges of flat faced side wall sections along straight hinge lines, the side wall sections merging into the main body of the side wall along generally semicircular lines.

These and-other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the container and the method of forming the same which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container body in set-up condition which embodies therein the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on theline 22 of FIGURE 1, the view showing a top closure lid in position for application to the open top of the container;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on theline 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, to a larger scale;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a flexible paperboard blank employed in fabricating the container, the view illustrating the manner in which the blank is died out, creased and preliminarily glued;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the blank of FIGURE 4, following initial folding of certain bottom forming members thereof and showing the application of glue prior to a further folding operation;

FIGURE 7 is a partial plan view of the blank illustrating a further folding operation; and

3,269,640 Patented August 30, 1966 FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the container in its completed flattened down condition.

The container will be best understood by reference to the preferred manner in which it is formed and set up. Referring first to FIGURE 5, the improved container is fabricated from a flat blank 10 of flexible paperboard, of suitable gauge or thickness, which is subdivided by paral lel,transverse crease lines 11 and 12 and longitudinally extendingparallel crease lines 13 and 14 into successive integrally hingedWall forming panels 15, 16' and 17 which constitute the main portion of the blank and which are adapted to form the side wall of the container body when set. Anedge reinforcing flap 18 extends along the side margin of the blank and is adapted to hinge inwardly about thelongitudinal crease line 13 so as to fold down and be secured against the adjacent outside face thereof. The longitudinal crease line 14 defines the bottom edge of the sidewall forming panels 15, 16 and 17 and forms a hinge line for a series of bottom wall or end closure forming panels which extend laterally of the main portion of the blank and the longitudinal crease line 14.

The bottom forming panels have hinge forming edges which are of equal length and which extend along the crease line 14 so as to define in the finished and set-up carton six straight edges of equal length. The largest of the bottom wall forming panels, in the form of the blank shown, is thehexagonal panel 20 which extends from the center of thepanel 16 has a perimeter defined by six straight sides oredges 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 which determine the outline of the bottom wall of the container in the set-up position. The oneside edge 21 of thepanel 20 is integrally hinged on a line coinciding with a portion of the score line 14 to the bottom margin of the center portion of thepanel 16. A generally triangular shaped panel orflap 27 extends from the bottom forming edge of thepanel 16 at one side of thebottom panel 20 and is hinged to thepanel 16 along theportion 28 of the score line 14. At the other side ofthe panel 20 aflap 29 is hinged to thepanel 16 along aportion 30 of the score line 14. Thepanels 27 and 29 are separated from thepanel 20 by outwardly opening, V-shaped slots 31 and 32 having the apices thereof at the ends of thehinge line 21. Theflap 29 is subdivided by ascore line 33 which extends diagonally outwardly from the intersection of thetransverse score line 12 with the longitudinal score line 14 and is approximately in alignment with an 'outer edge 23 of thepanel 20. The two portions of thepanel 29 are generally triangular shaped with theouter portion 34 constituting a glue flap or tab adapted to be connected to anadjoining panel 35 from which it is separated by anarrow slot 36. Thepanel 35 is generally triangular in shape and extends laterally of theside wall panel 17 and is hinged to the bottom forming edge thereof on a hinge line 37 coinciding with a portion of the longitudinal score line 14 and extending approximately half the length of thepanel 17 in the longitudinal direction of the blank. The outerm'ost end of this panel is cut off or cut back as shown at 36. A generallyrectangular panel 38 extends from theend portion 39 of the score line 14 laterally of the blank and is divided into two sections by ascore line 40 spaced from and extending parallel with the longitudinal score line 14. Theouter portion 41 of thepanel 38 constitutes a glue flap or tab which is adapted to be folded about thescore line 40 and adhered to the outside face of thebottom wall panel 20 as hereinafter described. Thescore line 40 is spaced from the hinge line 39 a distance corresponding approximately to one-half the dimension, in the lateral direction, of thepanel 20. At the other end of the blank apanel 42 extends laterally of ahinge line 43, the latter coinciding with the end portion of the longitudinal score line 14 and defining the bottom.

edge of theside wall panel 15. Thepanel 42 is out along its outermost edge on a line forming an outwardly opening V-shape as indicated at 44 and the outermost end or corner is cut off or cut back at 44'. Thepanel 42 is divided into two generally triangular shaped panels or flaps by ascore line 45 which extends outwardly from the intersection of the transverse score line 11 with the longitudinal score line 14 to the apex of the V-shapeclouter edge 44 and in generally parallel relation with thenearest side edge 26 of thepanel 20. The innermost panel orflap 46 constitutes a glue flap or tab which is adapted to be secured to the adjoining triangularshaped panel 27 from which it is separated by anarrow slot 47 which is aligned approximately with theoutside edge 25 of thepanel 20. Thepanels 27, 42 and theflap 46 have the same shape and are related to each other in the same manner aspanels 29, 35 and theflap 34 on the other side of thepanel 20. A generallysemi-circular score line 50 extends into the panel 14 with the ends terminating at the ends of thehinge line 43. The upwardly or inwardly curved orbowed score line 50 and the chord-like hinge line 43 which coincides with the bottom forming edge of theside wall panel 15 define a Web section integrally connecting thebottom wall panel 42 to theside wall panel 15.Similar score lines 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 extend into thepanels 16 and 17 along the score line 14 with their ends terminating at the ends of thehinge lines 28, 21, 30, 37 and 39, respectively. Thescore lines 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 are substantially identical in character and extend the same distance into thepanels 15, 16 and 17, and define with thehinge lines 43, 28, 21, 30, 37 and 39 web sections indicated at 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61.

To complete the container from the blank of FIGURE 1, glue is applied and the panels are folded as illustrated in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. Initially, theedge reinforcing flap 18 may have glue applied to its face so that it can be folded back onto the main body of thepanels 15, 16 and 17, and secured thereto to form an outer reinforcing rim around the mouth of the completed container. Alternatively, therim reinforcing flap 18 may be glued and folded at a later stage in the gluing and folding operations. Thepanels 20, 27, 29, 35, 38 and 42 are all folded onto the inside face of the main portion of the blank about theirrespective hinge lines 21, 28, 30, 37, 39 and 43 so as to bring these panels into the position shown in FIGURE 6, theglue flaps 34, 46 and 41 being folded back on thescore lines 33, 45 and 40 and glue applied to the outside faces thereof as indicated in FIG-URE 5. Glue is applied at 62 on the flap forming mar ginal portion of thewall panel 17. The wall panels and 17 are then folded about thescore lines 11 and 12, respectively, and in the sequence indicated, so as to bring the gluedportion 62 of thepanel 17 into overlapping relation with a marginal end portion of thepanel 15. This completes the fabrication of the container which, in the knocked down condition, appears as in FIGURE 8.

The container is set up by applying a force to theedge folds 11 and 12 in the direction of the center of the assembly which causes thepanels 15, 16 and 17 to open up into generally cylindrical shape with the bottom wall forming panels automatically pulled by the opening of the side wall panels into coplanar relation and end closing position so as to constitute a multipanel end wall as shown is FIGURES 2 and 3, with each of the six straight side edges corresponding to or extending along one of theedges 21, 22, 23, 24, and 26 of the mainbottom wall panel 20, the latter being disposed on the inside of the container so as to form a smooth inside bottom. Thebottom wall panels 20, 27, 29, 35, 38 and 42 are connected along thehinge lines 21, 38, 30, 37, 39 and 43 to the bottom edges of theweb formations 58, 57, 59, 60, 61 and 62 in the bottom margins of the side wall. Thehinge lines 33, 45 and 40 connecting theglue tabs 34, 46 and 41 with thepanels 29, 42 and 38 are arranged so that in the set-up position they are aligned and fall in a common axial plane which passes through the hinge formingscore lines 11 and 12 in the side wall structure and which intersects the bottom wall structure on a line coinciding with a cross sectional diameter of the container body (FIGURE 3). The web formations have flat surfaces adjacent the hinge lines and merge at their curvedupper edges 52, 51, 53, 54, 55 and 60 into the cylindrical sidewall formed by thepanels 15, 16 and 17. The container may be collapsed, when desired, by merely pushing in on the bottom end wall to start the folding of the panels with the side wall collapsing on thehinge lines 11 and 12 with theweb portions 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61 moving into the coplanar relation with the flattenedside wall panels 15, 16 and 17 while the bottom wall panels fold inwardly between the side wall panels.

Theinside bottom panel 20 is proportioned so that its maximum diameter, that is, the distance between each pair of oppositely disposed apices of the angles formed by the intersection of adjacent side edges, is somewhat greater than the cross sectional diameter of the main body of the container, as shown in FIGURE 2, and

when the container body is set up this results in an out-.

ward bowing of the material in the web sections adjacent the points of intersection of the adjoining bottom edges of the web sections, as shown in FIGURE 4. In other words, the points in the periphery of thepanel 20 which are formed at the intersection of adjoining edges of this panel force the wall material outwardly beyond the normal circumference of the tubular body resulting in a bottom diameter on a line extending between oppositely disposed points which is greater than the diameter of the body at the mouth thereof. This is helpful when the containers are stacked since the weight of a top container is distributed so that at least part of it is borne by the walls of the container on which it is supported. The open top may be closed, if desired, by a top closure orlid member 65 as indicated in FIGURE 2, which will help hold the side wall in cylindrical shape. When theedge reinforcing flange 18 is provided the lid member will preferably have anninturned edge 66 on the rim section which will seat beneath the bottom edge of theflange 18 and function as a frictional latching means to prevent accidental displacement of thelid member 65. Other lid or closure forming arrangements may be employed.

While the wall forming portion of the blank 10 is shown as divided bytransverse crease lines 11 and 12 which are parallel so that when the container is set up, these fold or crease lines extend vertically in parallel relation, the blank may be scored so that thefold lines 11 and 12 are not truly parallel but diverge slightly toward the bottom of the container and the diameter at the mouth of the container is less than the diameter at the bottom of the container by a sufiicient amount to insure that when the containers are stacked a top contamer may be positioned on a container beneath it so that the bottom of the top container will have portions at its margins extending outwardly to at least above the rim of the cover member on the bottom container thereby serving to distribute the weight so that at least a portion of the weight will be transmitted directly to the vertical walls of the bottom container. With this construction thepanel 20 could then be made with a maximum diameter corresponding to the diameter of the body at the bottom thereof.

The panels have been shown as connected or secured together by an adhesive but it may, of course, be desirable carton which is illustrated, it will be understood that other materials and equivalent structural arrangements may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible cylindrical container comprising, in erected condition, two side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on vertically extending hinge forming crease lines so as to define a tubular body of generally cylindrical form, an inner bottom Wall forming panel having six straight edges of equal length on the perimeter thereof and with a maximum dimension across its inside face somewhat greater than the diameter of the tubular body, said inner bottom wall forming panel being hinged along one straight edge thereof to the bottom edge of a web section which extends upwardly in the lower margin of the body side wall and which is defined by an upwardly bowed, semi-circular fold line and a chord-like bottom straight edge, said web section having a substantially flat surface adjacent the bottom edge thereof and merging into the curved surface of the body side wall along the upper edge thereof, pairs of bottom wall forming flaps integrally connected along straight edges thereof to the straight bottom edges of like web sections in the bottom margin of the side Wall at opposite sides of the hinged connection between said inner bottom wall forming panel and said side wall, the flaps of said respective pairs being hinged to each other by a glue tab which is flexibly connected to one thereof so as to assume horizontal coplanar relation when said container is erected, and a further bottom wall forming panel integrally hinged to the bottom edge of a web section disposed in the bottom margin of said side wall opposite the first mentioned web section, said further bottom wall forming panel having a glue flap integrally hinged thereto, which glue flap is secured to the outside face of said inner bottom wall panel and acts to swing the latter toward said first mentioned flaps as they approach said coplanar relation.

2. A collapsible cylindrical container comprising, when set up, two side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on oppositely disposed, vertically extending hinge forming crease lines, said side wall having its bottom margin divided into a plurality of identical web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a curved top edge extending upwardly from the ends of the bottom edge so that the surface is substantially flat adjacent the bottom edge and merges into the round surface of the body of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being integrally hinged along one of its straight edges to one of the straight edges provided by said web sections, a pair of generally triangular bottom wall forming flaps disposed on each side of said inner bottom wall panel, each of said flaps being hinged along one side edge thereof to a bottom edge of one of said web sections, a glue tab hingedly connecting adjoining edges of the flaps of each pair thereof so as to bring said flaps into coplanar wall forming relation when the container is set up, an outer bottom wall panel hinged along one edge to an edge of a web section which is opposite the hinged connection of the inner bottom wall panel with the associated web section and having a glue tab hinged thereto on a line which is parallel with the hinge lines of the inner and outer bottom wall panels and spaced an equal distance therefrom so as to coincide approximately with a diameter of the bottom wall which is within an axially extending plane passing through the side wall hinge lines.

3. A collapsible cylindrical container comprising, in erected condition, two side wall forming panels, integrally connected to each other on vertically extending, hinge forming crease lines and defining a cylindrical tubular body, an inner bottom wall forming panel having straight edges of equal length on the perimeter thereof and a maximum dimension across its inside face approximately equal to the inside diameter of the cylindrical body, said inner bottom wall forming panel being hinged along a straight edge thereof to the bottom edge of a web section which extends upwardly in the lower margin of the body side wall and which is defined by an upwardly bowed, fold line and a straight bottom edge, said web section having a substantially flat outer surface adjacent the bottom edge thereof and merging into the curved surface of the body side wall along the upper edge thereof, pairs of bottom wall forming flaps hingedly connected along straight edges thereof to the straight bottom edges of like web sections in the bottom margin of the side wall at opposite sides of the hinged connection between said inner bottom wall forming panel and said side wall, the flaps of said respective pairs being hingedly connected to each other so as to assume horizontal coplanar relation when said container is erected, and an outer bottom wall forming panel hingedly connected to the bottom edge of a web section disposed in the bottom margin of said side wall opposite the first mentioned web section, said outer bottom wall forming panel having a hinged connection to the outside face of said inner bottom wall panel so as to pull the latter toward said outer bottom wall forming panel as they approach said coplanar relation.

4. A collapsible generally cylindrical container comprising, when set up, side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on hinge forming crease lines which extend generally vertical, said side wall being divided along its bottom margin into a plurality of identical web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a top edge which is at least in part upwardly curved so that the surface thereof is substantially flat adjacent the bottom edge and merges into the round surface of the body of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being integrally hinged along one of its straight edges to the bottom edge of one of said web sections, a pair of bottom wall forming flaps disposed on each side of said inner bottom wall panel, each of said flaps having a straight edge hinged to a bottom edge of one of said web sections, a tab hingedly conneoting adjoining edges of the flaps of each pair thereof so as to bring said flaps into coplanar wall forming relation when the container is set up, an outer bottom wall panel having a straight edge hinged to a bottom edge of a web section which is opposite the hinged connection of the inner bottom wall panel with the associated web section and having a hinged connection therewith on a line which is parallel with the hinge lines connecting the inner and outer bottom wall panels to said web sections and spaced an equal distance therefrom so as to coincide approximately with the line of intersection of the bottom wall and an axially extending plane passing through oppositely disposed side wall hinge lines.

5. A collapsible, generally cylindrical container comprising, in erected condition, side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on hinge forming crease lines which extend generally vertical so as to define a generally cylindrical tubular body, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a plurality of straight edges of equal length on the perimeter thereof, said inner bottom wall forming panel being hinged along a straight edge thereof to the bottom edge of a web section which extends upwardly in the lower margin of the body side wall and which is defined by an upwardly bowed, semi circular fold line and a chord-like bottom straight edge so that said web section has a substantially flat surface adjacent the bottom edge thereof which merges into the curved surface of the body side wall along the upper edge thereof, pairs of bottom wall forming flaps hingedly connected along straight edges thereof to the straight bottom edges of like web sections in the bottom margin of the side wall at opposite sides of the hinged connection of said inner bottom wall forming panel with said side wall, the flaps of said respective pairs being hinged to each other by a connecting tab so as to be pulled into horizontal coplanar relation when said cylindrical body is opened up, and a further bottom wall forming panel hinged to the bottom edge of a web section opposite the first mentioned web section, said further bottom wall forming panel having a hinged flap on its free end which is secured to said inner bottom wall panel and acts to pull the latter outwardly into coplanar relation with said flaps.

6. A generally cylindrical container comprising two side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on vertically extending, parallel, spaced hinge forming crease lines so as to define a tubular body which is adapted to collapse on said hinge lines into flattened condition, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a plurality of straight edges of equal length on the perimeter thereof, said inner bottom wall forming panel being hinged along one straight edge thereof to the straight bottom edge of a web section which extends upwardly from the lower edge of the body side wall and which is defined by an upwardly bowed, semi-circular fold line and a chord-like bottom straight edge, said web section having a substantially flat surface adjacent the bottom edge thereof which merges into the curved surface of the body side wall along the upper edge thereof, pairs of bottom wall forming flaps integrally connected along hinge forming straight edges thereof to the bottom edge of said side wall on hinge lines coinciding with the chord-like bottom edges of like web sections in the side wall at opposite sides of the hinged connection between said inner bottom wall forming panel and said side wall, the flaps of said respective pairs being hinged to each other by connecting tabs which are integral with one of each pair thereof so as to be pulled into horizontal coplanar relation when said container is erected, and a further bottom wall forming panel integrally hinged to the bottom edge of a web section disposed opposite the first mentioned web section, said further bottom wall forming panel having a connecting flap integrally hinged thereto which is secured to the outside face of said inner bottom wall panel and which acts to swing the latter toward said first mentioned flaps as they approach said coplanar relation, said bottom wall forming panels and flaps being adapted to move automatically into collapsed position between said side wall panels when said side wall panels are collapsed into flattened condition.

7. A collapsible, generally cylindrical container comprising, when set up, two side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on oppositely disposed hinge forming crease lines which extend in a generally vertical direction, said side wall having its bottom margin divided into a plurality of identical web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a top edge extending upwardly in upwardly bowed relation from the bottom edge so that the surface thereof is substantially flat adjacent the bottom edge and merges into the round surface of the body of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being integrally hinged along one of its straight edges to one of the straight edges provided by said web sections, and a plurality of bottom wall flaps and panels associated with said inner bottom wall panel which are hinged to bot-tom edges of said web sect-ions and connected so as to move into coplanar bottom wall forming relation when the container is set up and to fold between said side wall panels when said side wall panels are collapsed.

8. A collapsible cylindrical container comprising, when set up, side wall forming panels hingedly connected to each other on oppositely disposed, vertically extending hinge lines, said side wall having at its bottom margin a plurality of web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a top edge with at least a portion thereof curved upwardly from the bottom edge so that the surface adjacent the bottom edge is substantially in a fiat plane and merges into the curved surface upwardly of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding approximately in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being hinged along one of its straight edges to the straight bottom edges of one of said web sections, a pair of bottom wall forming flaps disposed on each side of said inner bottom wall panel, each of said flaps being hinged along one side edge thereof to a straight bottom edge of one of said web sections, a hinge connection between adjoining edges of the flaps of each pair thereof which causes said flaps to swing into coplanar wall forming relation when the container is set up, an outer bottom wall panel hinged along one edge to an edge of a web sec-tion which is opposite the hinged connection of the inner bottom wall panel with its associated web section and having a tab forming extension hinged thereto on a line which is parallel with oppositely disposed hinge lines of the inner and outer bottom wall panels and which coincides approximately with a diameter of the bottom wall lying in an axially extending plane passing through oppositely disposed side wall hinge lines.

9. A collapsible, generally cylindrical container com prising, when set up, side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on vertically extending, parallel hinge forming crease lines, said side wall being divided along its bottom margin into a plurality of identical web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a top edge which is at least in part upwardly curved so that the surface thereof is substantially flat adjacent the bottom edge and merges into the round surface of the body of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel having a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being integrally hinged along one of its straight edges to the bottom edge of one of said web sections, a pair of bottom wall forming flaps disposed on each side of said inner bottom wall panel, each of said flaps having a straight edge hinged to a bottom edge of one of said web sections, a tab hingedly connecting adjoining edges of the flaps of each pair thereof so as to bring said flaps into coplanar wall forming relation when the container is set up, an outer bottom wall pane-1 having a straight edge hinged to a bottom edge of a web section which is opposite the hinged connection of the inner bottom wall panel with the associated web section and having a hinged connection therewith on a line which is parallel with the hinge lines connecting the inner and outer bottom wall panels to said web sections and spaced an equal distance therefrom so as to fall along a diameter of the bottom wall which is in an axially extending plane passing through oppositely disposed side wall hinge lines.

10. A collapsible, generally cylindrical container comprising, when set up, two side wall forming panels integrally connected to each other on oppositely disposed, vertically extending parallel hinge forming crease lines, said side wall having its bot-tom margin divided into a plurality of identical web sections which are each defined by a straight bottom edge and a curved top edge extending upwardly from the bottom edge so that the surface thereof is substantially fiat adjacent the bottom edge and merges into the round surface of the body of the side wall, an inner bottom wall forming panel hav- 9 ing a perimeter divided into a plurality of straight edge portions corresponding in length and number to the straight bottom edges of said web sections, said inner bottom wall panel being integrally hinged along one of its straight edges to one of the straight edges provided by said web sections, and a plurality of bottom Wall flaps and panels associated with said inner bottom wall panel which are hinged to bottom edges of said web sections and foldably connected so as to move into coplanar botand to hinge into flattened condition between said side wall panels when said side wall panels are collapsed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS tom wall forming relation when the container is set up 10 GEORGE Q RALSTON, primary

Claims (1)

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER COMPRISING, IN ERECTED CONDITION, TWO SIDE WALL FORMING PANELS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER ON VERTICALLY EXTENDING HINGE FORMING CREASE LINES SO AS TO DEFINE A TUBULAR BODY OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL FORM, AN INNER BOTTOM WALL FORMING PANEL HAVING SIX STRAIGHT EDGES OF EQUAL LENGTH ON THE PERIMETER THEREOF AND WITH A MAXIMUM DIMENSION ACROSS ITS INSIDE FACE SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE TUBULAR BODY, SAID INNER BOTTOM WALL FORMING PANEL BEING HINGED ALONG ONE STRAIGHT EDGE THEREOF TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A WEB SECTION WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY IN THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE BODY SIDE WALL AND WHICH IS DEFINED BY AN UPWARDLY BOWED, SEMI-CIRCULAR FOLD LINE AND A CHORD-LIKE BOTTOM STRAIGHT EDGE, SAID WEB SECTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SURFACE ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF AND MERGING INTO THE CURVED SURFACE OF THE BODY SIDE WALL ALONG THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, PAIRS OF BOTTOM WALL FORMING FLAPS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED ALONG STRAIGHT EDGES THEREOF TO THE STRAIGHT BOTTOM EDGES OF LIKE WEB SECTIONS IN THE BOTTOM MARGIN OF THE SIDE WALL AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HINGED CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID INNER BOTTOM WALL FORMING PANEL AND SAID SIDE WALL, THE FLAPS OF SAID RESPECTIVE PAIRS BEING HINGED TO EACH OTHER BY A GLUE TAB WHICH IS FLEXIBLY CONNECTED TO ONE THEREOF SO AS TO ASSUME HORIZONTAL COPLANAR RELATION WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS ERECTED, AND A FURTHER BOTTOM WALL FORMING PANEL INTEGRALLY HINGED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A WEB SECTION DISPOSED IN THE BOTTOM MARGIN OF SAID SIDE WALL OPPOSITE THE FIRST MENTIONED WEB SECTION, SAID FURTHER BOTTOM WALL FORMING PANEL HAVING A GLUE FLAP INTEGRALLY HINGED THERETO, WHICH GLUE FLAP IS SECURED TO THE OUTSIDE FACE OF SAID INNER BOTTOM WALL PANEL AND ACTS TO SWING THE LATTER TOWARD SAID FIRST MENTIONED FLAPS AS THEY APPROACH SAID COPLANAR RELATION.

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